Hiding in Plain Sight
by Skinfull
Summary: Successful undercover missions can sometimes have disastrous effects. Sam and Andy can't seem to get their timing right when outside factors force their hands. Or something. I dunno. The usual. Angsty, smutty, crime fic. *shrug.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Another fic started. I have until the 26th when I start my new job so I'm gonna write like a maniac to have this finished by then. This is just a teasing chapter to whet your appetite. Think of the time line as Season 2, right up until "Best Laid Plans" but Andy never made that phone call. Lets just say the credits rolled after that scene by the fire truck. :)

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**Hiding In Plain Sight - Skinfull**

Sam folded the newspaper he was reading and looked over at Andy on the other side of the couch reading her book. Her feet were tucked in beside him against the back of the couch. He reached down and picked one up and slowly started to massage it. She bent the book towards her chest to see over it and smiled.

"Finished your paper?"

"Yeah."

"'bout time!" she tossed her book to the floor and crawled up the couch to lie on his chest so she could kiss him. "Thought you were going to be reading that dammed thing all day!"

She squirmed her hips against him and he smiled as she kissed him again. Her hands started to unbutton his shirt and she kissed the top of his chest. He reached out and pulled off her hair tie, then brushed his fingers through her hair.

She leaned up and licked his cheek, his jaw and his chin then without warning stuck her tongue in his mouth, causing Sam to sit up and start coughing. He woke with a large Alsatian dog sitting on his chest, panting happily, his tongue lolling out of his mouth after clearly licking his face.

"God dammit…" he pushed the dog off his chest and sat up fully as he wiped his face free of the dog drool with the back of his hands. He stood up and walked across the cell to the small sink and rinsed his face with what little water he could get from the tap.

He looked over at the other bunk and saw Gareth was still sleeping. He went over to check his injuries. The stab wound on his leg had stopped bleeding which pleased him. No more blood meant his artery wasn't cut and the blood had started to clot. He could do with getting some clean bandages. Well, any bandages, Sam decided as he pulled the strapping he had made out of his shirt piece back into place.

It was a small cell with only two bunks, a sink barely big enough to fit in both of is hands and a toilet with no privacy. Sam wasn't too worried about the bathroom facilities though when he hadn't eaten anything in 2 days and was living off drips from the tap that came out less than spectacularly clean. There was a series of small windows near the ceiling. Four in total, each about three inches square.

Sam's lips were sore, chapped and cut. His shoulder that had been dislocated was marginally better after he slammed it into the wall to put back into place and the two little fingers on his left hand were broken and held together with another piece of the shirt he had ripped. He looked down at himself. His uniform shirt hung on his body in rags. Both sleeves gone and a strip from the bottom to his midriff ripped off to be used for a bandage for Gareth's leg. He sat back onto his own bunk again and the dog rested its head on his lap.

"Hey buddy…" he reached out and rubbed the dog's head. "Not long now." The dog whimpered. "I know buddy, I'm hungry too."

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**A/N**: Next chapter for later today. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: Hey guys, in case you didn't notice, I've changed this to "M" rating (_thanks to the diligent reviewer for pointing that out!_) as you know there is gonna be some smuttiness in my fic! Starting with this chapter! Ok, you have been warned.

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**Three Weeks Earlier**

Sam lounged back on his desk chair and propped his feet up on his desk. From this vantage point he could see Andy in the break room struggling with the coffee machine. She never really did get the hang of that thing and usually opted to either bring in her coffee or go for the selection in the pot. But he had seen Noelle finish off the coffee from the pot, and Andy had come running in later than her usual arrival time so she clearly didn't have time to buy coffee. So it made him smile to notice she changed in record time and was now battling for a cup of coffee before parade.

He thought about going over to help her get her fix but this was way more fun. She bashed the side of the coffee machine, pressed more buttons but ultimately walked away empty handed with a frown on her face. He was waiting for her to notice him and when she did, he held up a coffee cup for her. She smiled and came towards him. He handed her the cup with a smile.

"Oh thanks Sam, I'm gasping for a…" She shook the cup in her hand. "This cup is empty."

"I know." He pushed himself away from the desk and stood. "It was the latte I had this morning."

"I thought you had a coffee for me."

"I know." He smiled wide and started to walk towards the parade room. "Could you throw it into the trash for me?" he said as he looked over his shoulder with a wink.

Andy rolled her eyes, tossed the cup into the trash and followed him into the parade room. He was standing at the back of the room when she brushed past him to get to her seat and, purposefully bumped him with her shoulder as she did. She took her seat next to Dov and ignored his eyes boring into the back of her head.

He sat up on the desk at the back of the room with Oliver who was biting into a slice of toast.

"What's goin on with you and McNally?" Sam smiled and shook his head. "Good. Glad we got that cleared up."

Before Sam could say anything else Best walked into the room and took his customary place at the podium.

"Friday night!" he called out. "Last shift after 5 days in a row. " He held up his hands and everyone cheered. "So let's finish this week on a high. Cars 15-oh-6, 15-oh-9, 15-19, and 15-oh-2 all on patrol out by the area. It's a semi-final for the Leafs, it's a sell-out event so we're going to need the man power. Shaw you can take point at that."

"Go Leafs!" Oliver said.

"Everyone else, stay visible out there. Car assignments are on the board. Be safe, be seen."

The room broke off into groups of chatter but before Best left he called out to Sam and gestured for him to follow him. Andy walked over to the board and saw she was on patrol with Sam but not at the arena. She walked out to the garage with Dov, who chatted idly about some video game he had been playing the night before. Dov hopped into a car with Chris and they took off shortly afterward. She hefted her bag into the boot and climbed into the driver's seat and waited for him. When he hadn't come out after 15 minutes she went back into the barn to find him.

She could see him talking with Best in his office but was more surprised to see Luke in there too. Sam sat in a chair. Best leaned on the desk in front of him and Luke was pacing slowly next to the door. He had his sleeves rolled up past his elbows. His tie was loose and his hands gripped his waist as he paced. He seemed to be making angry gestures and talking loudly but she couldn't hear. She stood by the coffee pot and started making a fresh pot while she waited.

Sam planted both of his feet on the ground and griped the arms of the chair he was sitting in, in a white knuckle grip and kept his eye staring forward at a spot of peeling paint on the wall behind Frank's desk.

"This assignment should only take a couple of weeks," Best said. "You're the best man for the job."

"Really? How do you figure that?" Sam bit back without looking up.

"Sam, you are a trustworthy, steady cop. You read pretty much every situation perfectly, people are drawn to you and trust you implicitly."

"Perfect combination for betrayal huh."

"It's not like that Swarek. Jesus are you blind?!" Luke walked over to stand in front of him and waited for Sam to look up. "Internal Affairs has had multiple complaints about Division 22. But none of them can be substantiated. Coppers lose their nerve, won't testify, quit and leave the division."

"So you want me to work there from the inside. Turn against my fellow coppers?"

Luke knew this was going to be a tough sell. Sam held his cop brothers above all else and asking him to work undercover amongst them only to then turn on them went against everything he knew about the man.

"No. I'm asking you to turn against corrupt coppers who are trafficking evidence. Millions of dollars of evidence in the last year alone."

Sam had no reply. Best sensed enough had been said and stood up. He brushed down the front of his tie and coughed to get both Sam's and Luke's attention.

"If you decide to take this opportunity, I'll need to know by tomorrow night." He said as he rested his hand on Sam's shoulder. "For now, get out there and sort out the streets."

Sam stood without looking at Luke and walked out. Instead of going out to the garage to meet Andy he beelined for the changing room. Andy thought of following him but having caught the look on his face thought better of it.

She finished making the coffee and poured two cups then hurried out to the car to wait for him. It was another ten minutes before he joined her. When he jumped into the car he barely cast her a glance before buckling his belt.

"Well?" he said when she made no move to drive the car.

"Ok, yeah sure…" Andy started the car. Gone was the playful smile from this morning, no longer was he watching her surreptitiously instead his focus seemed to be elsewhere. "So…" she started after the first twenty minutes of stony silence. "What kept you?"

"Hmmm?"

"This morning when Best called on you after parade."

"Oh, it was nothing." Luke had set the parameters of the internal UC plan. If he was going to go ahead with it, he would have to put in for the transfer and go through the normal procedures. No one could know it was a mission, no one could know that his transfer was anything but genuine. In fact, Sam realised, if he did go for it, he would have to have a valid reason for leaving the 15th. He looked over at her as she drove through the streets. Heavy traffic took most of her attention so he could take a few seconds longer to look than normal. An affair would be a good enough reason. A one night stand with a colleague who he then needed to get away from could be a good reason. Also could be a fun reason. Sam chuckled and looked away, focused his thoughts on the bust streets outside.

"What's so funny?"

"Friday night in Toronto." He said mystically.

"What?" Andy pulled up at a red light and turned to look at him.

"Some nights you get it in your blood that something has got to change." He turned to look at her and caught her eyes with his own. "Doesn't have to be something huge. It can be small. The part in my hair, wearing long sleeves or short. Boxers or briefs."

"What the hell are you talking about Sam?" she said chuckling at his weird thoughts. If she didn't know better she would think he was drunk. But even drunk Sam was more stoic than this.

Before he could answer her, their radio buzzed and drew both of their attention.

"Car 15-13 assistance requested in York, shots fired in a robbery, still under progress at the corner of Eglinton and Dufferin st."

"This is car 15-13, copy that, we're on the way." Andy responded then hit the sirens button with her palm and sped up.

By the time they got to the drug store that reported the robbery the suspects has fled. Andy questioned the staff and customers as Sam walked the store and cleared the back rooms. He noticed cameras on nearly every corner of the store. When he returned to the front of the store Andy had finished taking notes. She called in a BOLO to the dispatch and arranged for the store manager to provide them with video footage as soon as it was available.

Andy led the way back to the car. Sam seemed to be lagging behind, watching the streets, the passers-by with more interest than it deserved. He hadn't even asked her for the car keys as they got into the squad and drove back out into the traffic.

"Inside job." He said after a moment.

"What?"

"That robbery. I bet we'll find out it was an inside job."

"What makes you say that?"

"Cameras all over the store, one entry point, large glass windows, tall aisles that could hide any amount of people. Only an idiot would think he could rob that place and get away with it."

"So it was an inside job?"

"Yes."

"That's ridiculous Sam."

"Care to wager?"

Andy looked over at him and caught his smile.

"Sure. Twenty bucks?"

"C'mon, you can do better than that," he said and he turned a little on the chair to face her more fully. "There has got to be something else you want from me, besides money."

Andy frowned and looked over at him. The smile he was wearing was unlike one she had seen on him before. Well no that's not true she realised. Last week after she pulled that girl from the burning car, after he had saved that child, he came running through the crowd looking for her. He had worn a smile like this then. Parted lips, showing his teeth, hooded eyes as if he thought it might hide his thoughts from her.

"I'm sure I can come up with something." She saw the surprise in his eyes at her response but he looked away and chuckled. He said nothing then just when she thought he had let it drop he spoke.

"Well? What have you got?"

"How about you cook me some of that famous pasta dinner."

"Dinner?" Sam laughed. "You want me to cook you dinner?"

"Yeah, you are always saying how good a cook you are. Prove it."

"Ok, deal." He held out his hand and she shook it but pressed on the brakes at the red light when he held onto it and squeezed. "And what do I get? If I win the bet, and that robbery was an inside job…what do I get?"

"What do you want?"

At her words he squeezed her hand and tugged it a little closer. He looked directly into her eyes.

"Have dinner with me tomorrow night."

"What?" Andy glanced at the lights, they had turned green but no one would dare honk their horn at a squad car so she ignored it.

"Have dinner with me tomorrow night."

"Eh…oh, ok."

And with that he dropped her hand and looked out the window again.

Andy fumbled with the car to put it in drive, hoped he didn't notice, but knew he did, and drove off.

By 4am they were back in the barn. They had made six arrests and were now filing paperwork at their desks. Sam had been his usual quiet self, speaking only in jibes and jokes. He had chased down two suspects while she took different routes with the car. He had taken a punch to the gut but brushed it off and had cut his arm up pretty bad on cut glass but again refused any hospital attention. Now in the barn, he was flying through the paperwork like he was possessed.

Something had changed but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. By the time six AM had rolled around their shift was over and they had finished all their booking paperwork.

He hadn't mentioned their bet for the rest of the shift and she had thought he had forgotten it. Hoped he had forgotten it she corrected her thoughts. She went into the locker rooms to shower and change and was sitting on the bench tying her laces when Traci came in.

"Hey Andy, good shift?"

"Yeah, pretty quiet for a Friday night."

"Is something going on between you and Sam?"

"What? No! Why would you ask that?"

"Well Gerry is out there talking with Sam and he is looking pretty damned pleased with himself."

"Gerry?"

"No Sam. Sam is looking pleased with himself." Traci smiled at Andy. "You know, like the cat who got the cream." Traci pulled off her vest and hung it into her locker then started to unbutton her shirt. "So I was just wondering if you knew…"

"Knew what?"

"Whether Sam…got the cream." Traci pulled off her shirt and put it in her locker beside her vest and then looked over at Andy who was shaking her head.

"I've no idea what you are talking about."

Traci looked at her friend and smiled. She sat down on the bench next to her and nudged her.

"Tell me. Something happened today while you were on patrol with him. So spill…"

"We were called out to a robbery on Englinton." She turned one the bench and crossed her legs Indian style beneath her, leaned forward and lowered her voice to a mere whisper. "He scanned the store while I talked to the manager and witnesses. Later on in the car he said that it was an inside job. And he asked me to make a wager on it."

"What?" Traci was smiling.

"So I suggested we wager twenty bucks but he said he thought I could do better than that, he said, and I quote 'You've got to want something more from me besides money'"

"He did not!" Traci covered her mouth with her hands.

"And so I suggested he cook that pasta dish he's always bragging about."

"Oh my god Andy, that's so lame!" Traci was laughing.

"I know! I panicked!"

"So what did he want if he won?"

"Well when I asked him that he said I should have dinner with him tomorrow night."

"Ah-ha!" Traci wagged her finger in front of them both. "Now it all makes sense."

"What does?"

"Why Sam looks so pleased with himself."

Traci stood and continued to undress then grabbed her towel.

"What Traci, what makes sense?"

"Go out to him and find out. He is clearly waiting for you." She winked at her friend and went into the showers.

Andy finished tying her laces, grabbed her bag and closed her locker. She took a deep breath then stepped out into the hallway but it was empty. He wasn't standing there waiting for him. She spotted Gerry by his desk working on some files, Chris and Dov walking into the gent's locker room and presumed that Sam was in there too. She tried to ignore the pit of disappointment that rattled around her gut and instead fixed her bag on her shoulder and turned to leave. She walked out the front instead of through the garage in an attempt to convince herself she wasn't looking for him.

She had walked about 2 blocks before he managed to catch up with her and pulled up alongside her in his truck.

"Need a ride McNally?" He called out of his open window.

She felt the disappointment melt and turned to him and smiled. "Sure."

She hopped in and tossed her bag into the back seat. She expected him to say something to her but he just drove in silence. The morning traffic was just about to get heavy when he pulled up outside her apartment. He killed the engine and turned to face her.

"Good shift McNally."

"Yeah, thanks for the ride."

"I was talking to Gerry about the robbery at the pharmacy on Englinton."

"Oh?" So here it was she realised.

"Night manager's brother in law."

"hmmmm. Co-incidence?"

"No. Inside Job." He grinned at her and she shook her head and smiled. "So…dinner tonight?"

"You meant that?"

"You trying to welch on the bet McNally?" he teased her.

"No, I just thought you were joking." She reached into the back to grab her bag and put her hand on the door to open it.

He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder to stop her from leaving. "I wasn't."

"Oh." She was flustered now, made worse by their proximity and his hand on her shoulder. "Ok, where will I meet you?"

"I'll swing by to pick you up. At 6."

"Ok."

She sat in the car and stared at him for a few more moments then when he started the engine again she fumbled for the door handle and opened it.

"Sleep well McNally," he called out to her as she stepped out and closed the door behind her.

Sam drove off and left her standing on the path. He saw her surprise but also her smile after he reminded her about their bet. Shortly after leaving her at home Sam parked back in the lot at Division 15 again and went back into the barn. He went straight to Frank's office and knocked on the door. Frank waved him in then turned his chair towards him and gestured toward the other chair.

"What can I do for you Sam?"

"I'd like to put in for a transfer to 22nd Division."

Frank nodded his head.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes sir. I think it's time for a change."

Frank picked up his phone and dialled one of the internal extensions. "Hey Luke, can you can come into my office please?"

* * *

Andy woke up at about 3pm and rolled over onto her back. After working a week on nightshift she always found it hard to get back into a normal routine. The sun streamed in to her bedroom even though she had the curtains closed. She pushed the duvet off and sat up. It had been a restless sleep. She tossed and turned for hours thinking about Sam.

His strange reaction after coming out of the meeting with Best, his strange mood, smiles, the wager and then the lift home. Something was up with him and she was determined to find out what it was. She ate some cereal then showered and went into her room to dress. She wondered where Sam would be taking her for dinner. Would it be formal? Or some random steak joint. Should she stay casual or dress up. Was this even a date?

She flopped back onto her bed and moaned aloud. God dammit… was she nervous? She looked at her watch and saw it was half five and realised Sam would be here in 30 minutes. She got off the bed and went to the wardrobe. It was a lovely evening, the weather was beautiful. She could pull off a summer skirt and blouse and it would work for casual or formal.

She pulled on a dark blue skirt that came to her knees and a dark red v neck top with three quarter length sleeves. She found a pair of shoes, and but on some eyeliner then lipstick and a splash of perfume. She ran her fingers through her hair, clips up the sides in a half pony tail then looked at herself in the mirror.

"Ugh… too much? Too little?" She shrugged then went to the kitchen to have a glass of water to calm her nerves.

* * *

Sam parked his truck outside her flat about twenty minutes before he was supposed to be there. He killed the engine and looked out his apartment at her flat and waited. He had spent about 4 hours with Luke and Frank going over the transfer routine. Monday morning he would be starting in 22. They had concocted a case of evidence fraud against him that had been buried but not far enough that it couldn't be discovered by whomever wanted it in 22.

He managed to get to bed by noon. Caught a couple of hours sleep then spend the rest of the afternoon preparing. When he sat in his car to pick her up, he suddenly regretted this wager he had made. He knew this was going to be a mistake. But he had been in a UC sting before and there was never any guarantees that the time line would be as easy as he might like so he wanted to…

"To what Sam exactly?" he said to his empty car. "What are you doing?!" he argued with himself for the duration of the journey and even more when he had parked up outside her flat. But when he caught a glimpse of her walking by the living room window his resolve to leave vanished. He hopped out of the car, went across the road and knocked on her door. She answered it in seconds.

"Ok! You're here," she stammered. "Great. So, do you want to come in side? Or…should we leave? Do you have reservations?"

Sam smiled. She always babbled like this when she was nervous. He looked her up and down. The outfit she had chosen was perfect. He could see her legs, her curves, and the low cut on the top was enough to show off the top of her breasts.

"Let's leave."

He stepped back off her stoop and waited for her to lock up then led her out to his truck. Sam opened the door for her then walked around to drive. He smiled when he sat in and she returned it. She watched the streets pass and wondered where they were going and was surprised when he pulled up at his own place.

"We're eating here?"

"Yep."

"Did you cook?"

"Yep."

He climbed out, walked around and opened the door for her then more surprising than anything else that had happened so far he held out his hand for her to take. She just looked at it for a moment then when he gestured with his fingers for her to take his hand, she reached out and did just that.

He only let her hand go when he had to open his apartment. She stepped in before him and walked with him into the kitchen. He had a bottle of red wine open on the counter with two glasses ready to be filled.

"Drink?" he offered even as he picked it up and poured out a glass for her.

"Yeah, thanks."

He poured a glass for himself too then held it out and she clinked hers against it. They sipped in silence then he started to walk out to the garden, and gestured for her to follow him. Out in the back garden he had a BBQ smoking lightly, and the picnic bench she had only ever seen used to hold engine parts was lines with a blue check table cloth and set for two people.

"Wow Sam…what's all this?"

"Dinner. Take a seat" He opened the BBQ and took out a parcel of tinfoil and carried it into the kitchen. He reappeared a few moments later with two steaks and put them onto the grill. "Hey turn on some music," he said as he pointed at the radio on the window and sipped his wine.

Andy turned on the radio and found some tunes then walked over to stand by him at the BBQ.

"Can I help with anything?"

"No, I got this."

He seared the meat, brushed on some more marinade then went into the kitchen to get the rest of the food. Andy watched with interest as he put a large bowl filled with pasta salad, some grilled corn, a basket of bread and the bottle of wine. After a few minutes more he plated up one of the steaks then turned to her and smiled.

"How do you like your steak?"

"Medium rare."

"Then the food is served." He plated up and took a seat opposite her.

They ate and chatted, drank the bottle of wine, he opened another and poured fresh drinks. Once they were finished with dinner he cleared the dishes and put them into the sink then joined her at the picnic bench again.

"What's going on here Sam?"

"Dinner."

"Yeah I can see that, and it was delicious."

"Thank you." He leaned forward and smiled proudly.

"But why are you cooking for me?"

"The bet remember? Did you bang you head when we were chasing that guy down Dundas? On no, wait, that was me!"

"Yeah but-"

"Look Andy, I just wanted to do something nice for you, is that so bad?" He waited for her response but she didn't have one. She shook her head and smiled then reached for her wine and took a drink. Just then the soft rock that had been playing finished and a slow ballad started. Sam watched her for a moment then stood up and stretched his hand out for her.

"Dance with me."

"What?" She laughed.

"You heard."

She looked at his hand, up to his face then back to his outstretched hand then found herself taking it. He pulled her in close, held her hand against his chest and let his other hand rest on the small of her back. Her other hand reached up to her shoulder and held on as he started to sway in time to the music.

As the song progressed he tightened his grip around her, and pulled her even closer, one of his legs between hers, then lowered his head to kiss her.

The kiss was soft and hesitant and felt like a left hook had hit her. His lips were warm and moved slowly against hers as if he was savouring every second of it. She tilted her head to deepen the kiss parted her lips and let her tongue move against his.

He released her hand and buried it into her hair, and the other hand on her back sank lower to cup her ass. She moaned into his mouth when he pressed her against him so he did it again. The slow music had changed and as if it flicked a switch inside both of them their kissing became frantic. He bent to pick her up then took two steps towards the table and perched her onto the edge. He gripped her head with two hands and kissed her roughly. She busied her hands by unbuttoning his shirt then dragged her hands up his chest and over his shoulders to peel it off him.

He lifted the edge of her top and only broke their kiss to pull it over her head. The skirt she was wearing was light and flowing and he could easily drag his hands up her legs from her knees. She wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him close but the barrier or his dark trousers was frustrating. She reached down and started to unbuckle his belt but his hands came down to still her ministrations.

"We could move this inside if you like…" he kissed her neck as he spoke. But she just brushed his hands aside and finished what she had started. She felt him smile against her neck as she unfastened his trousers and let them fall around his ankles. He toed off his shoes and kicked his pants aside then lifted her off the bench and pulled down her panties.

He leaned down and kissed the curves of her breasts, lifted one hand up to knead them as the other hand pulled her tightly against his crotch. Her fingers slipped under the rim of his boxer briefs and circled his waist to his front then without warning then went lower and gripped him tightly, making him suck in his breath through gritted teeth.

"Oh….Careful there…it's attached."

He chuckled as he kissed her then lifted his head and kissed her properly. Probed her mouth with his tongue as she mimicked the rhythm with her hands on his cock. After only a few seconds he couldn't take it anymore, he lifted her skirt higher, pulled her to the edge of the table, she yanked his underwear down and tilted her hips.

He entered her in one smooth motion and she made a long low moaning sound at the sensation of him filling her up. He pulled out then stroked back in and soon has a slow steady rhythm going. She held onto his shoulders for a while then leaned back with her hands behind her to counter the rhythm of his thrusts. He sped up for a while then slowed right down. She watched him through hooded eyelids. He bit his bottom lip, looked up to the sky, massaged her ass and watched her breasts bouncing.

When he caught her watching him he smiled, sped up his thrusts again while holding her eye contact but there were too many things happening. Her ass was supple beneath his fingers, her breasts, still encased in the hot pink bra she was wearing, moved up and down, begging for his lips, and when he kissed them they felt exactly as good as he would have hoped. And that was the last thing he really remembered.

Everything else became a blur of pleasure and panting. Two more complete thrusts into her and he came hard. He held her against him, held her in place as his cock twitched inside her. He felt her quiver around him, milking him, making him come for longer than he thought he could. He lifted his eyes and saw her flat out on the table before him, her back was arched and her mouth was open as she gasped in an effort to get more breath.

He leaned over her and kissed her hungrily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her up with him when he sat up.

"Hey…" he muttered against her neck as he nuzzled her.

"Sam Swarek." She said, her voice was low and raspy and made his cock twitch. "What kind of seduction was this?"

"A successful one." She laughed and kissed his cheek. He sat up away from her and looked down at her smiling face. "C'mon…" He stepped away from her, bent to pull up his boxer briefs then stood and helped her off the table. She went to reach for her top but he snatched her hand back. "No, leave it."

He led her into the kitchen, pulled two spoons out of the drawer and passed them to her, then took a pint of ice cream out of the freezer. Still holding her hand, he led her into the living room, sat into the couch and pulled her down to nestle between his legs with her back against his chest. He opened the ice cream and held it out in front of her. She passed him a spoon and turned the ice cream over to get a look at the flavour.

"Pistachio?"

"Yeah! What's wrong with pistachio?" He reached around her and scooped some ice cream out with his spoon.

"Nothing, I guess I just figured you for a Rocky Road guy."

"Why is that?"

"Oh you know…sweet and tempting to look at, but inside it can be soft or crunchy and bitter." She took a mouthful of the pistachio, squealing for mercy when he tickled her.

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

He reached around her for more ice cream and popped it into his mouth then watched her. From his vantage point he could see the side of her face. She was concentrating on getting the quickly melting ice cream onto the spoon without making a mess. Her tongue was pressed between her lips, she squirmed her hips, knowing full well the effect it was having on him and popped the ice cream into her mouth without dropping any of it.

"So…" she said after having her fill of ice cream. "Are you going to tell me what Frank was talking about before shift last night?"

"It was nothing, it was a performance review."

"Oh? How did you do?"

"Fine."

"Just fine? No commendation?"

"No, not this time."

Sam put his spoon down and started to rub her neck. He wanted to remember all of this. Savour all of this. It could be a long time again before he got this close to her, if ever. She let her head fall back onto his chest and he continued to massage her until she slept. Then he pulled the blanked down from the back of the couch to cover them, held her in his arms and hugged her tightly.

In two days he would be gone form division 15. She would hear about the story of his fraud and he wondered if she would believe it. He needed her to believe it. The strength of this UC mission depended on her and everyone else believing it. But above all that, he wanted her to know it wasn't true.

Regardless of the outcome he was sure she would be pretty mad, and it would take a whole lot of convincing for her to let him hold her like this again. So he held her even tighter, if that was even possible and kissed her neck. She moaned and rolled her head towards his lips and he just took it all in.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam Swarek rolled over in his bed and even before he opened his eyes he was patting the pillow beside him only to find it empty. Then he remembered her leaving.

After they had their fill of ice cream they had snuggled on the couch. She slept for a while in his arms and soon he had followed her into a light sleep. He woke up when she rose, snatched her hand as she walked by him but then she bent down and kissed him lightly and smiled.

"I have to pee!" she said against his lips and he let her go. When she returned to the couch she was wearing her top again and he presumed her panties which disappointed him no end. He sat up and turned to face her. She was sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch. He scooted forward spread he legs so her knees nestled against his crotch, softly drew his hands up her thighs, beneath her skirt and kissed her neck where it met her shoulder.

Her hands found their way to the back of his head and he smiled against her when he realised she wasn't wearing her panties.

"Commando?"

She chuckled then pulled back from him and smiled. "I better go."

"No, no, no…you better stay." His fingers splayed across her ass, massaged her cheeks then in one swoop he picked her up off the table, leaned back on the couch and dropped her onto his lap. She squealed with the sudden movement and gripped his shoulders. "Yeah, you should definitely stay."

"Sam this is…I dunno, I dunno what this is, but…Ohhhhhh!" He pulled her hips down as he pushed his up. "We shouldn't…Mmmmm!" He lifted her top up and pushed her bra aside so he could rake his tongue across her nipple. Her hips were moving now of her own accord and he encouraged them with his fingers. Her skirt was bunched up around her waist but fell down over his knees and the soft material made the hairs on his leg tingle as it moved.

He moved his hand from her hips to her waist then drew them up her sides along with her arms and took her top off again.

"Oh, look what's happened…" he muttered unapologetically as he buried his face between her breasts. Then he let his hands roam over her back to the clasp of her bra, opened it and pulled it off. "Oh no! What a flimsy clasp you have there."

"Yeah I better get that looked at huh!"

Sam smiled up at her as his hands came around to her breasts. In the garden he had left her bra on, he was more concentrating on keeping his shit together and he thought if he let her breasts loose he wouldn't have lasted 3 seconds. But this time, this time he was ready for her. He knead one breast with his hand while working the other with his mouth, then switched it up. He grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her roughly. Thrust his tongue past her lips and stroked the inside of her mouth in a soft motion that he started to make with his hips. Her hands trailed down his chest, over his stomach, made him suck in a breath then travelled further south and pulled on his boxers.

She knelt either side of his legs, lifted herself off him while he shimmied out of his boxers then he tried to pulled her back down onto his erection his she resisted. He looked up to her face but she was smiling. She leaned down, captured his lips in a slow soft warm kiss then slowly lowered her self onto him. He signed into her mouth and almost lost it when she kneeled up off him then slowly lowered herself again.

She set the pace and the pace she chose was slow, incredibly, tantalisingly slow. His hands were against her back, his face was against her chest and he just let her ride him in whatever way she wanted. Besides, he chuckled, he was powerless against her.

When she started to speed up, his hands came to her hips to help her keep rhythm. He looked up to her face. She was biting her lip, her eyes were half closed, and she was moaning in short pants that matched the tempo of her hips. He trailed his fingers around her waist to the front of her pubic bone, then slid two of them through the hair to stroke the pulsating nub that sent white hot flashes of desire through her.

He needed to see her face when she came, needed to see the intensity of her pleasure and was going to do his utmost to make it as good as he could.

"Oh Sam…" she moaned his name, gripped his shoulders tighter and pumped faster, harder onto him. He tried to keep up with her, tried to match her rhythm but she was doing something with her hips, her ass, her inner muscles and it felt incredible. And he knew he had lost control of this ride so he relinquished it all to her. He stopped holding back.

Once he let go there was nothing that could stop the torrent of pleasure that coursed through him, He tried as best he could to carry her over the edge with him, and by the look on her face it was working. When she finally came she moaned aloud in a guttural sound that turned her limbs to jelly. She fell forward against him and he wrapped his arms around her back to hold her against him, loving the sensation of her breasts against his chest, as she breathed in and out heavily. He turned his head to kiss her neck and she purred, making him laugh.

"Was this a date?" Her voice was muffled by his shoulder and he moved his head to look at her.

"A date?"

"Yeah…what is this?" She leaned back, balanced herself with her hands on his shoulders and looked at him with a shy smile which was in total contrast to her state of dress.

"Settling a bet?" he said with a crooked smile.

"Sam!" She swatted his arm.

"Yeah, yeah, it was a date. Did you enjoy it? Will there be a second? Do you always sleep with a guy on the first date?"

"Shut up Sam!"

He sat up to hug her close and kissed her cheek.

"It was supposed to be a date. I didn't mean for all this to happen…but I'm glad it did."

"Me too."

"Good."

She kissed him tenderly then leaned back and shimmied off his lap. He fixed his boxers as she dressed again.

"So I better go, it's getting late."

"Or you should maybe stay, it's getting late." He took her hand in his and stood up with her.

"No, I think I've done enough damage to my reputation for one date," she said as she walked towards the front door. "I have to have some mystery for the 2nd." She looked up at him with a smile, expecting him to be smiling back. But he wasn't. He was watching her with a frown on his face. "What?"

"I had a great time tonight." He said as he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Me too."

"Want to grab lunch tomorrow?" he released her from his arms.

"I'd love to." She opened the door and stepped out.

"Let me give you a ride home."

"No, Sam. Really, I'd like to walk."

He let her walk out the door but as she started to go down the stairs on his stoop he stepped towards her and grabbed her hand to turn her round.

"Hey, Andy, I just wanted to say…"

"Say what?"

"That no matter what you hear, no matter what you are told about me in the next few weeks…I need you to know that tonight, that this, what happened here was real."

"What?" She came back up the steps to stand next to him and he grasped her other hand.

"I just wanted to tell you that, I've been thinking about you, thinking about asking you over for dinner, thinking about kissing you, touching you all of this…I've been thinking about it pretty much nonstop for… god…for ever!" He interlocked their fingers on one hand, and lifted the other one up to stroke her face. "And I just wanted you to know that."

Sam frowned at the memory. He hadn't meant to say any of that but he couldn't let her walk out without giving her some warning of what was about to happen. He rolled over on his bed and sat up. He rubbed his hand over his face as he thought about the look in her eyes at his words. Shock followed by delight then she smiled and kissed him. It was the first time he had been kissed by a woman on his door step while he wore only his boxers. Sam laughed at the image then got up and showered. He dressed quickly and checked his watch. Eleven fifteen.

Any minute now it would start. His heart was fluttering in his chest and not just because he was in that same spot from the night before with Andy. He had cleaned the dishes, picked up the mess from dinner and found the panties she had chosen not to wear. He put them into the washing machine. And now there was nothing left to do but wait.

He didn't have long to wait. The knock on his door was loud and insistent. He took a breath, stood up and answered it. Luke Callaghan was flanked by two patrol officers and had a warrant.

"Sam Swarek."

"Yeah…" Immediately his guard went up. Even though he was expecting this, even though he knew exactly what was going to happen in the next few hours he was still annoyed by the accusations he was about to face.

"Here is a warrant to search your apartment. Please step aside."

Luke handed him the warrant and walked in, forcing Sam to step back. The two patrol officers started to look through his things, rifle through books and newspapers. Through all this hustle his cell phone rang. He didn't need to look to know who was calling him. He wanted to reach for it. He could see it on the coffee table in the living room near where he had just been sitting.

"Leave it." Luke saw him watching the phone and knew the thoughts that were running rampant through his head.

Soon the cell phone stopped ringing and moments later his land line came to life.

"Popular guy," Luke commented as he saw Sam looking at the handset on the table by the door.

"That's what happens. You show a girl a good time and the next day she won't stop calling." Sam chose his words carefully. He knew what they would mean to Luke and he took relish in the look of anger that passed over his features. It seemed that Luke too, knew who was calling him.

Sam turned his attention to the two patrol cops who were busy themselves still ransacking his apartment. Once they were finished in the living room and kitchen he heard them work over his bedroom. Open drawers, search through his wardrobe, in and under furniture until finally they found what they were looking for. Packed in an envelope, beneath the bottom drawer of the dresser in his room. They brought it down to Luke who was standing in the living room with Sam. He opened the envelope and peered inside. He looked at Sam with a self-satisfied grin then reached into it and pulled out a wad of cash and a slip of paper.

"Don't trust banks Swarek?" He asked as he unfolded the paper to read what was written there. It was a list of submissions for the 15 division evidence locker.

"No, never did."

"Tracking evidence?"

"Just being thorough."

Luke stared at him for a moment then reached behind his back to grab his cuffs.

"Sam Swarek you are under arrest. Turn around and put your hands behind your head."

Slowly Sam turned with his fingers interlocked behind his head. Luke grabbed one arm and pulled it down to cuff it, then pulled the other one and cuffed that too. He snapped the cuffs on tightly, then patted Sam down to check for weapons.

"Whoa, no need to make them cuffs so tight there brother!"

"You have the right to remain silent…Anything you do say can and may be used against you in a court of law." Luke pushed Sam forward and guided him out to the car as he spoke. "You have the right to an attorney before and during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

Sam couldn't help but think that Luke was enjoying this more than a little as he had his head pushed down to get him into the car. His heart was pumping fast in his chest, he could feel it in his throat and he had the beginning of a headache forming. Luke slammed the door then spoke with the 2 patrol officers. Sam watched as he instructed them to stay at the house then climbed into the driver's seat and drove off with Sam cuffed in the back.

"How are you doing back there Swarek?"

"Cuffs are on a little tight."

"Had to make it look real." Sam saw his eyes in the mirror and another bubble of annoyance rose up. "You did a great job hiding the envelope."

"Yeah, thanks for trashing my place."

"Just conducting a thorough search. You know how it is."

"Yeah…I know how it is."

"You ready for this Swarek?" Luke pulled to a stop at a red light around the corner from the 15 division. They locked eyes through the rear view mirror. Sam nodded. His head ache was fully blown now. His arms were aching, his palms were sweaty. It wasn't the first time he was in cuffs in the back of a police car, but it was the first time he cared.

Luke parked in the tunnel outside of booking. He stepped out of the car then helped Sam out of the back. Luke gripped his arm and guided him to the door and pushed him through. Both of them looked like thunder. Traci who was working in booking looked up and smiled.

"Ahhh Swarek! Drunk and disorderly? Indecent exposure?" She said laughing but it died on her lips when she noticed the looks on both of their faces.

Luke pushed Sam up to the desk, a little harder than was necessary. "Admitting Officer Sam Swarek."

"On what charge?"

"Evidence tampering and fraud."

Traci couldn't help but let her jaw drop in shock. "No, there has to be some mistake…Sam?"

Sam kept a stony expression on his face and stared straight ahead at a single point on the wall behind her.

"Traci…can you please process the booking?

"Eh…yeah, yeah sure." She fumbled around for the right forms as Luke cuffed Sam to the wall.

Luke nodded at Sam then walked out of the room leaving him alone with Traci.

"Sam? What's going on?"

"I'd like to speak to my lawyer please."

Traci sat next to him with the clipboard on her lap. She was afraid to fill it out. If she filled it out, it would mean that this was really happening. And she was definitely not ready for this to be happening.

"Sam! Talk to me."

"I'd like to speak to my lawyer please."

She stared at him for a moment but he didn't change his expression. He refused to talk to her and after a few more attempts trying she gave up. She uncuffed him from the wall, guided him to a cell then uncuffed him completely and closed the cell door behind him. Usually when stoic suspects were uncuffed and the cell doors locked they magically opened up. They came to the bars, pleaded their innocence, asked for understanding or gave up names of actual criminals. But not Sam. Sam crossed the small cell and sat down. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and sat up ram rod straight.

* * *

Andy woke up and couldn't stop the smile from spreading over her lips. She lay back and thought of the night before. She could almost feel his hands all over her body and she shivered in delight. After a lengthy and detailed daydream, she got up and showered then dressed and went to find her phone. Lunch plans were vague when she left them with Sam so she was hoping he would have texted or called and they could make solid plans.

Maybe she would invite him over this time. Cook for him this time and not worry so much about her lack of cooking skills and just instead think about what they could get up to in her shower. She searched her jacket and her bag for her phone but it was nowhere to be seen. She checked the coffee table by the door, the dresser by the bed the kitchen counter even the bathroom but still she couldn't find it.

She picked up her landline and dialled her cell number but it went straight to voice mail. She had walked home so she hadn't left it in a cab. She dialled Sam's cell number but that too went straight to voicemail. She tried his land line and after a few rings his answering machine clicked on.

"Dammit." She checked her watch and saw it was just gone twelve. The universal lunch time she thought with a smile. She went to the window to see if he was outside but her street was strangely free of all traffic.

Andy fell back on her couch and turned on the TV. She toyed with the idea of going to his apartment. Surprising him with a picnic lunch but shook that idea out of her head. Instead she tried to busy herself with the TV.

But it was no use. Her thoughts were filled with Sam Swarek. And with every passing moment that he didn't call, she got a little bit more annoyed. When her landline rang close to two o'clock she all but leapt across the room to grab it.

"Hello?"

"Andy!" It was Traci. "Where the hell have you been!? I've been ringing your cell for-"

"I lost it. I dunno where it is!"

"Andy you need to get down to the division right now."

"Why? What's happening?"

"Just get down here. Come in through the front. Come find me!"

Traci hung up and a sudden wash of terror coursed through her body. She dialled both of Sam's numbers again but still there was no answer. Her blood felt like lead.

She grabbed her jacket and keys and raced out of her apartment.

* * *

Andy found Traci pacing the locker room. She grabbed her friends arm and Traci enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Traci, what's happening? You're scaring me."

"It's Sam…"

"Oh god!" her hands flew up to her mouth and her eyes sprang up tears.

"He's been arrested."

"What?!"

"Luke brought him in about half an hour ago. He is in lock up."

"What? What the hell is happening?" Andy started to pace. "What has he been charged with?"

"Evidence tampering and fraud."

"That's ridiculous!" She pushed past Traci and stormed towards the office Luke was sitting in. She didn't knock and instead pushed the door open, opened her mouth to speak but was beaten to it by Oliver. On the other side of the room, as if mimicking her Oliver had pushed the other door open without knocking and started speaking a millisecond before she could.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Oliver roared garnering the attention of more than half the cops in the bullpen. "Sam Swarek is my brother, and you have him locked up like a criminal? Evidence Tampering? Fraud?! Are you mad?!"

Luke who was prepared for this tirade from Andy was not ready for the double assault from both her and Oliver. He looked between them both. Speechless for a moment. They had joined forces in the centre of the room giving him a single target to focus on.

"This investigation has been going on for a number of months."

"Months!?"

"The details of this investigation are closed. Please direct all enquiries to your union rep."

"God dammit Luke, why are you doing this?" Andy asked as she took a step closer to him and crossed her arms across his chest. "Is this personal? Is that why you are doing this?"

"Don't flatter yourself McNally," Luke said with a sneer as he stood up, and gathered some files together. "Not everything that happens in this division revolves around you." He went to move past them both but neither of them budged. "Excuse me." The room fell into a stale mate then Oliver stepped back and pulled Andy with him. They both watched Luke walk out of the room towards the interrogation rooms.

"What the hell is going on here Oliver?"

"I don't know, I just heard."

"It can't be true…it can't be."

"I'm going to go talk to Frank."

Frank was in his office all morning. He had been here since before the raid on Sam's place and would be here long after Sam had left. He was ready to field questions an anger from all his officers at the division. Oliver and Andy walked in without knocking and stood in front of his desk. "Frank?" it was all Oliver said but it was all he needed to say.

"I know. I'm as shocked as you are. Union reps were in this morning. IA have been working with Callaghan on this for months."

"Sam is the best cop in this division. He is honest, more honest than anyone, myself included! And now you have him locked up for evidence tampering?" Oliver was raging.

"And fraud!" Andy added.

"Look, I know! But we have to follow the law here. The investigation is still active. Officer Swarek-"

"Sam…his name is Sam!" Oliver said and he slammed his hand down on the table. "He's been working in this division for nearly ten years, you know he is more loyal than-"

"I know all this Oliver. But I can't block an investigation because he is my friend!"

Franks words were enough to stifle Oliver's anger. Andy sat into one of the chairs. It felt like her whole world was falling apart.

"Can I see him?" she asked. Oliver rested a hand on her shoulder.

Frank shook his head. "I'm afraid not. He will be interrogated then sent to lock up. If he can post bail he will be released but suspended from 15."

"If he can post bail?"

"Sent to lock up?"

Both Andy and Oliver spoke at the same time and Frank held up his hands before another tirade of anger hit him.

"All precautions will be taken to expedite this as quickly as possible." Frank came around to the front of his desk. "I want to look after him as much as you."

Andy looked away. She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands then stood up from the chair. "This is not happening!" she said aloud. "This just cannot be happening."

She let her eyes adjust to the light again then looked around at the bullpen as if she expected to see him sitting at his desk watching her with a smile as if she had fallen for some ruse of his.

Then as if her thoughts could conjure him up out of thin air she saw him. But instead of sitting at his desk and smiling he was cuffed and being escorted to the interrogations room.

"Sam!" She called out. She went to rush out to him but Oliver caught her arm. She had made it to the door and called out to him again. "Sam!"

He looked up. Caught her eye but just as quickly looked away and let the patrol officer holding his arm take him into interrogation room 2.

"I'm going down there." She tried to shake Oliver's arm off hers but he gripped her tighter.

"McNally, no!"

"You can't get involved McNally. This is an external investigation."

"What? Luke is in there interrogating him. How is that external?"

"Leave it McNally."

"C'mon Andy," Oliver spoke softly with her and guided her away from Franks office and the interrogations rooms to the coffee room at the back of the precinct. They waited for the kettle to boil in silence but before it clicked, Oliver stepped away from the counter and took her hands in his.

"Andy, it's going to be alright. You have to believe that."

"I do! No way would Sam do any of these things."

"Good. Keep thinking like that." Oliver squeezed her hands. "C'mon, let's go get some smoothies."

* * *

Luke moved the cuffs from Sam's back to a metal loop on the underside of the table. They had discussed this interrogation while in prep yesterday. Sam had his script learned off and he knew Luke was going to bringing the full force of his interrogation techniques. This was all for show. To create interrogation tapes, get Sam into the right frame of mind, get him excluded from the other officers at 15 and more so in case anyone was in the control room of the interrogation room.

The interrogation lasted almost three hours. Sam kept repeating his request for a lawyer. The Union Rep sat next to him and advised him to say nothing. He answered small questions about his whereabouts on certain dates.

Towards the end they were joined by Frank. The mood in the room, despite the ruse was sombre.

"I spoke with Judge Reardon. You need to let him go Callaghan. You don't have enough evidence."

"What?" Luke stood up and kicked the chair back. "The arrest was clean. I found evidence at his apartment."

"Circumstantial."

"Are you crazy?" Luke laughed manically. "A wad of cash and a list of newly submitted evidence which has clearly been marked for sale. How is that circumstantial?"

"Officer…uncuff him." The patrol officer standing behind him practically jumped to let Sam out of his cuffs. "Officer Swarek, you are suspended from duty. Speak to your Union Rep for further info."

Sam stood up and rubbed his wrists where the cuffs had been pressing against his skin. He looked at Luke with a self-satisfied grin.

"Escort him out officer." Best couldn't look him in the eye as he left.

Sam walked out with the patrol officer behind him. He tried to make the pace faster but didn't want to look like he was running away. They skirted the bullpen and much to his relief Andy was nowhere to be seen. At the front desk he was signed out and his belongings were returned to him. He put his wallet back into his pocket but he had no other belongings as he was prepared for the arrest. The shoes he was wearing had no laces, he didn't wear a belt. He thanked the officer who escorted him out, silently thanked frank for asking one of the other shift officers who didn't know him then stepped out into the sunlight.

* * *

He didn't have a car with him so he hailed a cab and went home. When he unlocked the door and stepped in he was shocked to see Andy kneeling in his living room picking up contents from his upturned book shelf.

He slammed the door shut to get her attention. "Andy…what the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh I was just cleaning up!" She stood and approached him. "I didn't want you to have to come back to this."

"Andy you have to get out of here."

"Sam!" she reached out to him and tried to hug him but he caught her wrists and held her at bay.

"Andy, leave. Get out of here." He pushed her back and released her wrists.

"No Sam! I won't. Tell me what's going on." She grabbed his arm but he brushed her off and went into his living room.

"Jesus Andy…just get out of here, before…" He looked over his shoulder at her.

"Before what?"

"Before it's too late." He looked away from her and started picking up the books himself.

"Too late?" She walked over to him and tugged on his arm. "Too late for what? Jesus Sam, just talk to me!"

He looked up at her face. She was worried. So incredibly worried. He wanted to stand up and hug her close, kiss her and tell her everything was going to be ok. But he couldn't. He had to stick to the plan. Even the one part of that plan that was killing him. The one part that made him hesitate when it was offered to him.

"Get away from me Andy." He stood up slowly and turned to face her. "I'm no good for you." And at that very moment he believed his own words. "You deserve better than I could ever provide you. So just leave…please." Every word he spoke was like poison. The look in her eyes was killing him but he remained indifferent on the outside.

Andy looked at his face. Saw his eyes brimming with fury. His face was expressionless but when he uttered that last word. _"…please."_ she heard only pain. She took a step back.

It was all he could do to resist reaching out to her.

"Goodbye Sam."

Tears fell from both of her eyes as she backed away from him. She lingered at the door and willed him to call her back but all he did was watch her leave.

Every sinew in his body was aching for her touch. He spent all his energy keeping his body still and when she finally closed the door behind him he let his down his guard. He shuffled through the flat to the bedroom and fell onto the bed. He didn't care it was only early in the evening. He didn't care that he had so much more prep to start to get this mission rolling all her cared about right at this moment was blocking out the last ten minutes he has spent with Andy.

His head pounded, his body ached and his mind raced. But almost as soon as his head hit the pillow he was asleep

* * *

**A/N:** Just an FYI...There most likely wont be an update tomorrow. (_If there is it will be a small one!_) but I'll be back on sunday! Just letting you guys know so you dont panic and think I abandoned the fic :)


	4. Chapter 4

Andy started walking home but her mind was in a daze. She didn't care what she looked like walking down the streets, sagging shoulders, tear stained face and red rimmed eyes. She wasn't even sure if she was going in the right direction. The short conversation she had with Sam was replaying in her head over and over. "I'm no good for you." "Leave before it's too late." "You deserve better."

"What were you talking about Sam!" she muttered to herself, only adding to the looks she was getting from passers-by. She patted her pockets to find her phone so she could call Oliver and only after a moments panic did she realise she had lost it. She walked until she found a payphone, slipped some coins in and dialled his number. Earlier, they had gone for smoothies and hatched a plan. Seeing as they weren't getting any info as a dual force they decided to split up and flank Luke, Frank and Sam to see what they could find out.

She had hoped for better info or reasoning from Sam, not just to be kicked out of his apartment. But she hoped that Oliver had fared better than she.

He picked it up on almost the first ring and she took that as a sign he had something to tell her.

"Oliver!"

"Andy, where are you?"

"I'm in a payphone on the corner of Dupont and Bathurst. So what did you find out?"

"You're not going to like this."

"What? Tell me, what!"

"Sam was suspected of evidence tampering and fraud."

"Yeah I heard that already."

"They have been investigating him for months and this morning they found an envelope of money and an evidence slip in his apartment."

"No, it can't be…"

"Wait there is more, Frank said that he asked for a transfer."

"What?! When?"

"This morning. After the interrogation was closed down. Luke went in too early with the warrant, it seems it was supposed to be a sting on 4 different coppers homes. Luke jumped the gun, all charges will be dropped against Sam but he is transferring out of 15."

"What?" All this information was too much. Her brain was struggling to keep up. "What the hell is happening…"

"Frank said he handed in his notice. He doesn't have to work it and the paperwork has already gone through."

"Where is he transferring to?"

"I dunno, he wouldn't give me that information. He said Sam asked for it to be kept sealed."

"Jesus Christ Oliver…what the hell is going on?"

"I don't know McNally…but I don't believe it."

"What do you mean?"

"Sam…evidence tampering…fraud. It doesn't add up. I don't believe it." Oliver was silent for a moment then he added. "Do you?"

"No, god no, of course not. He's being set up by someone. But who?"

Oliver didn't have an answer for that. The phone in McNally's ear started to beep to request for more coins so she said she would call him later and hung up. Emboldened now with more info, she was more determined to get to the root of this. She started to walk towards town and found a phone shop. She reported hers lost, got the number transferred to a new handset. She was itching to go back and talk to Sam to find out more info about his transfer but she wasn't sure she could let herself be kicked out of his flat again. She wasn't sure her heart could take it. So she went to the next best source of information.

She checked her watch. Seven fifteen. Luke would either be home by now or at the penny. She wondered if he would have the balls to show his face at the penny ever again after he arrested one of 15's favourite coppers in to the barn in cuffs. She checked her location and decided she was closer to his home anyway so she hailed a cab and called out his address.

At his door she hesitated. All of a sudden she wasn't sure if she could take a barrage of info from Luke about this. What if he convinced her of Sam's involvement! She thought then she shook her head and muttered "Impossible." She banged on his door with a closed fist as well as rang his doorbell insistently. And she kept banging and ringing until he answered.

He swung the door open wearing only a pair of shorts with a small towel slung over his shoulders. He was dripping in sweat and frowning deeply.

"Ah, I should have known to expect this visit. What do you want McNally?"

"I want you to tell me what's going on?"

"Why don't you go and ask Sam?"

"I want you to tell me. Everything."

"You know I can't talk about an ongoing investigation." He realised he wasn't going to be able to get rid of her too easily so he backed away from the door and let her in. She followed him into the kitchen where he opened the fridge and took out a carton of juice and started to drink from the tip.

"Luke, please!"

"Oh you said please, so obviously the law doesn't matter anymore."

"Just tell me what you can, you don't have to tell me about the investigation."

"The charges have been dropped. Because I was too eager. So Sam is free to go."

"What made you think Sam was involved in this?!"

"That would be privileged information Andy and you know it." He wiped his chin with the back of his hand to clean off the juice.

"Luke…you know Sam is a good cop. You know he wouldn't be involved with anything like this. It has to have been a set up!"

"So let me get this straight… Sam wouldn't do anything like this, but you're saying someone else at 15 would? Why does he get preferential treatment?"

Andy couldn't help but look admonished and looked away from his piercing stare.

"You are sleeping with him aren't you." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"Where I'm sleeping with Sam Swarek or not has got nothing to do with this!"

"Well it just explains why you are here in my kitchen pleading for explanation and leniency over one guy when last week I arrested a copper from 15 for assault and battery charges but you weren't up in arms about that."

"Luke this is different?"

"Yeah, because you are sleeping with Sam, but not the others."

Andy stared at him and realised she wasn't going to get any information out of him. She looked away and covered her face with her hands and had she been looking at him just then she would have seen the compassion that crossed his features. He wanted to reach out to her, offer her comfort but he had a part to play in all of this too and after the sacrifices that Sam had made today he wasn't about to let him down by letting it all be for nothing.

"Luke…I know you don't like Sam, I know. But you have to believe me when I tell you that there is no way, no way in hell that he would be involved in this."

Luke made no response. She glanced up at him but his face was expressionless. She turned and walked out and he sagged at the sound of the door closing.

* * *

Frank finished his shift at 15 and while driving home took a detour to Sam's apartment. He knocked on the door and waited. Then knocked again when there was no reply. After a few minutes more when there was still no reply he turned to walk away but by the time he got to the bottom step Sam pulled the door open.

"Frank?"

"Hey Sam."

"Come in."

Sam pulled the door open wider and invited Frank in. He had clearly been sleeping and was just woken up. Frank stepped in and looked around the room at the dishelved apartment.

"Wow…"

"Yeah. They really were looking hard for the evidence."

Sam led him into the kitchen and started to boil the kettle to make coffee.

"Where did you hide it?"

"Under the bottom drawer in the dresser in my room," he replied smiling as he grabbed a couple of cups down from the press and spooned some instant coffee into them.

"Wow, impressed the two patrol officers found it."

"They were coppers from 15. Of course they did."

"How are you holding up?"

"Well Frank, my life is falling apart. Everyone in the division either thinks I'm corrupt or stupid, probably both. I've pretty much walked away from the one job I loved. I shouted at two of my closest friends today and had my apartment ransacked for evidence I was given to hide by the detective who was leading the ransacking. I've had better days."

"I know the sacrifices you've made today Sam. It was a huge ask and believe me, it's noticed. And not everyone in 15 thinks you are corrupt. I've had Oliver sitting on my shoulder all day. Interrogating me, asking to see the file against you. He is insatiable in protesting your innocence. Along with McNally and Nash. You've got a cheer squad there that won't give up on you."

Sam smiled at the image of Oliver following Frank around all day and knew somehow that no matter what he had heard about him Oliver would never think he was capable of what he was accused.

"So what's next?"

"The plan is to start in 22 on Monday. I take it my transfer went through."

"Yeah, Staff Sergeant Brian Hunt has agreed to take you. They are four men down at the moment after what happened last week so I'm not surprised he tried to push this through as fast as possible."

"Luke sent me the bios of all suspects. And he asked if I need a new apartment."

"Are you going to move?"

Sam looked around at the apartment he was living in now. He loved this apartment, more so now with the new memories he had created last night with McNally but wondered if it would be too torturous to stay here.

"I don't know, I'll see how it goes."

"And you'll be checking in with Callaghan regularly?"

"Yeah, I've got a burner phone, and a new private email address. There will be no physical contact though unless he initiates it through his investigation." Sam chuckled. "He mentioned something about harassing me to get me onside with the coppers at 22. So ya know, I have that to look forward to."

Frank chuckled along with Sam. Their coffees forgotten as they chatted. When it was time for him to leave Frank shook his hand and pulled him in for a manly hug and patted his back.

"Thanks Sam. For everything."

"I'll talk to you when this is all over."

Frank nodded then walked out the door. Sam closed it behind him and looked back at his apartment. He couldn't stand the mess any longer and started to clean up.

* * *

When Andy woke up on Monday morning for her shift she had to drag herself out of the bed. She showered and changed, packed her uniform in her bag and walked to the division. Usually she loved going into work, usually she came in with energy and excitement, even on her worst hang over days everything paled with the idea of going into work, putting on her uniform and getting to work with close friends.

Not today. She changed in the locker room and made her way out to the kitchen to make coffee where she met Oliver. The cloud over his head seemed to match her own.

"Hey McNally…" He handed her the cup of coffee that just came out of the machine and pressed the buttons for another one.

"Hi Oliver."

"How are you holding up?" He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I dunno Oliver. I'm just…lost."

"I know kid. I know."

"I tried to talk to Luke again, but I got nowhere."

"I tried to talk to Sam."

"Oh? What did he say?"

"Nothing."

They both fell into an uneasy silence and sipped their coffee.

"I was thinking…" Oliver said and he looked around the room to ensure it was empty then lowered his voice anyway. "What if this is a UC set up?"

Andy's eye grew wide. She turned to him and grabbed his arm. "Go on…"

"It's the only thing that makes sense. The sudden transfer, the accusation, the arrest…even Sam's reaction."

"Yeah he's not fighting this like I thought he would. He's just…he's just shutting me out."

"Like its UC."

"Yeah. Oh god Oliver, do you think?"

"I'm hoping. I mean…what's the alternative."

"There is none. There is no way that Sam would be involved in any of this…"

Oliver nodded.

"So what can we do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? But-"

"There is a reason he didn't tell us. There is a reason he is taking this on the chin. If we do anything it could jeopardise the mission, it could put Sam in danger."

Andy looked down at her feet. She wanted to run to Sam, shake him until he told her what was going on but instead she was going to have to keep this to herself. Oliver put his arm around her shoulders and steered her into the parade room. He sat next to her and nudged her with his shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled wanly.

Best took to the podium and let his hands rest on the front edge. The chatter in the room was hushed to begin with and soon a silence fell over everyone.

"I know there are rumours going around, speculation and idle gossip about Officer Sam Swarek."

Oliver looked around the room to see if anyone was going to protest Best's use of the title. No one did.

"But what you need to do is focus on the job at hand. Today is a fresh day, new shift with new challenges. Nash you are being reassigned to work with Detective Callaghan who needs help with an investigation."

Andy and Traci clashed eyes. Traci shrugged and Andy frowned.

"Today we are focusing on speed traps. It's the beginning of the summer holidays, schools are out, and temperatures are up. We're focusing on Dundas, Bloor St West, Lakeshore and Weston Rd." He pointed all the points out on the map. Assignments are up on the board. Get out there and do your thing!"

The room started to file out, Andy hurried over to catch Traci.

"Hey Trace, what's goin on?"

"I dunno. This is the first I heard about my reassignment."

"Are you going to be working on the case against Sam?"

"Andy, I don't know!"

Andy dropped her hand from her friends arm and she watched her walk away towards Luke's office. She watched Luke close the door and caught the look he gave her whilst doing so.

"Hey Andy, looks like you are with me today." Andy turned to see Chris walking towards her. He held out the keys to her and asked if she wanted to drive.

* * *

**A/N**:So...my rugby team just won the national semi final...I'm particularly drunk right now... to me this chapter makes sense...let me know if its otherwise.

* yes this is a sudden ending...bear with me. next update will be amazing.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam walked into 22 through the front door. It was a similar building to 15 same design, same energy just different colleagues. He walked up to the front desk and pulled out his ID.

"Sam Swarek to see Staff Sergeant Brian Hunt."

"Swarek huh?" The desk officer looked him up and down as he leaned forward on the counter. "You're the guy that's coming over from 15?"

"Yes." Sam was prepared for the baiting and judging.

"Hunt told me you were coming, he's up in his office."

To Sam's surprise he buzzed the door open and let him in without further questioning. Sam walked through the bull pen and could see Hunts office on the other side of the room. Much like Frank's it was surrounded by a wall of glass and he could see Hunt sitting at his desk working on the PC.

Sam felt a pang of guilt as he approached the door. Hunt had worked his way up through the force. He was a beat cop for twenty years. Took the Staff Sergeants role as a temporary capacity while his superior officer was off sick. When it became clear he wouldn't returning, they made it official. For a time 22 had the highest solve rate, best standard of rookies and were winning conduct awards from the city officials every year. Then slowly it all started to crumble around them.

One detective was arrested for selling drug evidence, but the charges were dropped. Another was convicted of 2nd degree manslaughter. Then there was the case of police brutality. Three coppers accused, tried and convicted of police brutality at a concert, injuring three teenagers and killing a fourth. Sam Had read up on all these cases, on all personnel in the division and especially the suspects. He knocked on the door lightly and stepped in when Hunt waved at him.

"Officer Swarek." Hunt stood and held out his hand. "Welcome to 22."

"Thank you sir."

"Please, take a seat." Brian Hunt was a tall man. Towering over Sam but with an easy air. He looked years older than his age of 45, his shoulders were held wide but Sam could see the effort he was making in holding his head up. "I understand you experienced some trouble last week."

"A simple misunderstanding."

"In my experience, misunderstandings are never simple." Sam nodded but didn't say anything. "This is my house Swarek. I'm trying to run a clean house."

"I understand sir."

"As far as I'm concerned you are walking in here with a clean slate. I'm giving you a chance now to stand up and be counted with the officers of 22."

"Yes sir."

"I understand you were a TO in 15 but I think you should ride with one of our TOs today. Get a feel for how we do things around here."

"Sounds good sir."

"Okay, go get changed, parade is in 10 minutes. I'll introduce you to everyone then."

"Okay, thanks."

Sam stood up and hefted his bag onto his shoulder then walked out of the room. He changed quickly, went to the arms room for a gun and ammo then had just enough time to grab a coffee in the kitchen before going to the morning meeting.

Hunt walked in shortly after him and a hush fell over the room. Everything about this felt equally familiar as it did foreign. Even though he knew Andy wasn't in the room, his eyes were twitching to seek her out of the crowd. Hunt called out key arrests from the previous shift, highlighted a murder investigation that was on going and even talked briefly about the assignments. Then before he called an end to the meeting, he asked for Sam to stand up and join him at the podium.

Reluctantly Sam stood and walked the length of the room. He had hoped Hunt would merely call out his name and asked for everyone to welcome him. But it seemed Hunt had different ideas.

"Officer Sam Swarek comes to us from 15. He has been awarded many accolades, was involved in the Birmingham bust in 2007 and is a respected TO. So let's show him how we do things round here. Tommy, Swarek will ride with you."

Sam looked over at the officer Hunt pointed out. He recognised him from the bio sheet Luke had provided. Tommy Monaghan. Chief suspect in the investigation. Sam wondered briefly if Hunt knew why he was here, but as Tommy approached him he smiled and stuck out his hand.

"Welcome to 22."

"Thanks."

"We're taking car 20-oh-3, I'll drive."

Sam followed him out to the car. He wanted to play the part of the submissive to get him onside so he recalled all the rookies he had ever trained and tried to remember how he was when he first started. Which was a mistake because all it did was bring up images of Andy. His first encounter with Andy, his first day riding with her, and more vividly, the last day he spent with her. He shook his head and tried to focus back on the task at hand.

"So you've been at 15 for quite some time." Tommy had only driven about 3 blocks before he started talking.

"Yeah."

"What made you want to move at 22? Something happen over there?"

"No, just fancied a change."

Tommy laughed. "That's code for it was a woman, am I right?"

Sam said nothing just looked over and smiled.

"I knew it. No way would you leave the 15. I've seen your female coppers. Some of them are out of this world."

A strong dislike was creeping up over Sam but he slipped into his role and instead smiled and shrugged.

"So 22 might run a little differently than 15. Let me break it down for you."

Tommy spend the rest of the shift highlighting all the departments of 22. He skimmed over evidence chains and the lock up security which rang alarm bells for Sam. But it was too soon to strike. First he needed to ingratiate himself into the core group of suspects. He knew they were a tight knit group and it would take time to get in and earn their trust.

Sam followed Tommy's lead. Took direction from him throughout the day but showed him also he was a capable copper. They made 4 arrests throughout the day and Sam had even waded out into a pond in Sunnybrook Park to apprehend a bag snatcher.

Back in the barn after showering Sam was sitting in the locker room changing when Tommy came in. He had already changed and was grabbing his jacket from the locker.

"So we're going for a few pints in Reilly's tonight. Wanna join?"

"Yeah sure, that's on Bayview?"

"Yeah but Carl is driving is you can get dressed quick enough. We're leaving in 5."

Sam hurried to get dressed to make sure he would make the lift. He found Tommy sitting in the bullpen sipping a coffee. "Good you made it, Carl is in the bathroom, and we can meet him in the car."

They walked out to the car and waited for Carl. He hadn't expected to get an invite out this soon in the investigation but he wasn't about to refuse it either. When Carl arrived, Tommy introduced them and it only took ten minutes of idle chatter to get to the bar. Once in there Sam took a pint ordered by Tommy and joined them at the back of the bar by the dart board.

"You play?"

"Yeah but I'm not great."

"Quick game of cricket so." Carl went over to the small chalk board and wrote his own name down along with Sam's.

"Not playing Tommy?" Sam asked.

"Tommy couldn't throw a punch, let alone a dart." Carl said laughing as he passed Sam three darts. "Last time he played in here he stuck one dart in Roger's leg, and a second in his arm."

"Same guy?"

"Yeah!" Carl was still laughing and Tommy shook his head as he took a seat behind them. "You'd think he would have moved after the first dart hit him."

"Not sure he had time," Tommy said. "It was a rapid fire shot."

Sam was laughing now too. After a few beers, a few more games of darts Sam decided it was time to walk away. He finished the dregs of his pint and refused another one.

"Not for me guys, don't think turning up on my 2nd day at 22 with a killer hangover is a great way to work my way into Hunts good side."

"Oh don't worry about Hunt." Tommy finished his own drink and signalled to the barman for more. "He might think he runs the division but the truth is, its run by us."

"Us?" Sam paused with one arm already in his jacket. "As in you and Carl?"

"No, us, as in the coppers." Carl put the darts down and joined Tommy at the table.

"Nothing goes through that division that we don't see." Tommy paid the waitress who brought over their drinks. "We're on the front line, we're called on for every case, we work the streets, and we even work undercover."

A tingle travelled up Sam's spine.

"And what do we get in return?" Card took the pint off Tommy and sipped it. "Underpaid overtime, long hours and no thanks."

Sam shook his head. He had heard this rant before. Usually from older coppers, who had been repeatedly passed over for promotion, who had walked the streets, watched their brothers die on the streets and only survived with bitterness left over.

"You think we're just bitter."

Sam was shocked at Tommy's astuteness but hid it well.

"It's not a new speech." He finished putting on his jacket and zipped it up. "I've heard it before, just not from coppers as young as you." Sam spoke honestly. He always believed being as honest as he could without giving his role away was the best way to interact when undercover.

"Yeah well maybe that just means its right." Carl sipped his drink, stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed them at the ankles. "What do you think…Swarek?"

"I think we're paid what we're paid. We do the thankless work we do. And sometimes we need to help ourselves to make it work."

"Help ourselves?" Tommy leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees. "So maybe the rumours about you are true."

"Rumours are never true." Sam said with a crooked smile. "When they become true, they stop being rumours."

Tommy chuckled, sat back and took another drink. "Good night Swarek."

"See you tomorrow." Carl lifted his glass at Sam who waved and walked out of the bar.

He took a second to get his bearings then decided against walking and hailed a cab. He had left his truck at the division and would have to leave early to get in on time tomorrow. But the alternative of a DUI wasn't an option.

Back at his apartment he took out his notebook and made a daily update with the events gone by. He opened his laptop and added info to the bios he had already created for Tommy and Carl then he grabbed his burner cell phone and called Luke.

"Swarek, what do you have?"

"I met with Tommy Monaghan and Carl Benson."

"Anything?"

"They are angry. Underpaid, over worked, career coppers." Sam walked through his flat to the kitchen, opened and closed some drawers as he found something to eat but nothing looked appetising so he walked back to the living room empty handed. "There is something going on though."

"You think you can get in?"

"Yeah. They heard rumours about me already."

"Copper vine, nothing moves faster through it than bad information."

"I'll be riding with Tommy again tomorrow. I might have more to report then."

"Okay .Good work Swarek."

"How is…em, how is everything at 15?" This wasn't the question he wanted to ask and they both knew it.

"It's taken a hit. Morale is pretty low. Frank is handling it well though."

"Good. Okay, I'll report back tomorrow."

"Good night Swarek."

Sam hung up the phone and tossed it onto the couch beside him then let his hand fall back onto the cushions. He was hoping he wouldn't notice. He chuckled to himself. He noticed the minute he sat down here, it was probably the reason he subconsciously chose this spot. He could almost feel her weight on his lap, her hair as it brushed across his face, her breasts as they pressed against his chest and her fingers as they ran through his hair.

He reached over and picked up the phone again. Luke picked it up on the 2nd ring.

"What's up Swarek?"

"The flat you offered me, while I'm on this case."

"Yeah, you want it?"

"Yeah. How soon can I get it?"

"I'll free it up and get it ready by tomorrow afternoon."

"Perfect, thanks."

Sam tossed the phone down again but this time got off the couch. If he stayed there he would only wallow. And he didn't have the time, the patience or the will power to resist a vivid McNally daydream. So instead he showered and went to bed. But he should have known better.

Sam lay on his bed, stared up at the ceiling and imagined her there instead. The slight rock of the mattress as she would climb up from the foot of the bed. The hot wave of her breath on his skin as she crawled over his body. Sam moaned, closed his eyes and let his mind run rampant with that thought.

Her hands would be warm when she would touch him. Warm and soft but with intent to stir him up. Even her imaginary tough was driving him crazy. He pushed the duvet off his legs, and curled one hand behind his head. The other one slowly made its way down his chest to grab his cock. HE was already hard. The shower had had little effect and his attempt to get to sleep despite his erection was a joke.

When he started to stroke himself he didn't have to try too hard to imagine her there but before he could actually get into the zone his phone rang. He let his hand fall to his side and reached over to the bedside table to pick it up, all without opening his eyes.

"Hello?"

"Sam…" It was Andy. Hearing her voice made him sit up and look around the room, as if he expected her to be there.

"Andy…what do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you. I called around after work but you weren't home."

"No I was out."

"You were working at 22 today?"

"Yeah."

"How was it?"

"It was fine."

"Sam…" He heard her take a shaky breath. "Can I…can I call over?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"I want to talk to you."

"Andy, it's not a good idea." He sighed. "Look, you need to focus on work at 15."

"Why did you leave?"

The question was sudden but not unexpected.

"It was time for a change."

"Did you know you were leaving when you invited me over for dinner?" Again, he was expecting this question.

"Andy-"

"You did, didn't you?"

"Look Andy I need you to back away. Leave me alone right now."

"Jesus Sam…why did you…just why?"

"Good night Andy."

He hung up the phone. Everything in his being was crying out for him to ring her bag, beg forgiveness ask her to come over and show her how sorry he was. But he had an agenda. He signed up for a mission and he had to follow a certain priority of tasks. Sam tossed his phone back onto the bedside table and fell back onto his bed. Gone were the stirrings of desire, replaced now only with anger and frustration. He pulled the duvet back over himself and curled up underneath it.

* * *

Sam checked the assignments board when he walked into the parade room and saw he was running with Tommy again. He sipped his coffee and took a seat near the back. The meeting was much the same as the one the day before but this time without Sam's introduction. He noticed how Hunt seemed to just repeat the same platitudes, recounted the arrests and just went through the motions. He was a beaten man, Sam thought and he could see the division crumbling around him.

Once the meeting was over, he followed Tommy out to the garage but this time stood by the driver's door.

"Hey, I'll drive today."

"Sure." Tommy tossed him the keys and put his go bag into the boot then climbed in to the passenger seat. He shuffled about to get comfy as Sam adjusted the seat and did the same. "So how do you like 22?"

"It's fine." Sam replied noncommittally.

"How different is it to 15?"

"It's a little looser. Not as stringent."

"And you like that?"

"It's a nicer environment. I like to be able to be free to work on my own, without looking over my shoulders all the time for IA."

"Who is your union rep out in 15?"

"Jim. Jim Cunningham."

"Ouch, tough break. He is a real ball buster."

"Who us the rep for 22?"

"Will Manning." Tommy started to laugh. "He is a great guy. He knows when to turn the other cheek, and he knows when to press harder."

"I haven't had the pleasure."

"Don't worry, you will soon enough."

Sam stored all this information for later dissection as he picked up the radio to respond to a call for back up.

* * *

Traci walked through the bullpen and knocked on Luke's door then pushed it open. Luke was sitting at his desk with a mess of files staked up high enough to block his view so he leaned back in his chair to see who it was, then waved her in and asked her to close the door.

"Frank said you needed me again today."

"Yeah, yeah I do, come in, and take a seat."

Traci took a stack of files from the seat beside his desk and placed them carefully on the floor before sitting down.

"Is it the Crannock case?"

"Hmm?"

"From yesterday. The Crannock case."

"No, no that's all been filed. Thanks for your help by the way." Luke shifted through some more files on his desk then pulled out three and turned to face her. "This is a different case. But if you are to work on this then you need to agree to a confidentiality clause."

"Yes sir."

"Essentially, it's a gag order."

"Yes sir, I understand."

He passed the files over to her but held onto them for a moment longer to catch her eyes.

"There are two people you can talk to about this case. Myself and Frank. At no other time should you mention what you see here, or even what case you are on to anyone else at 15. Understood?"

"Yes sir." She took the files and opened up the first one. Tommy Monaghan. She looked in shock at the picture of the uniformed man. When she looked up to Luke he just stared back at her. She flipped the next file open. Carl Benson another uniformed officer. Then when she flipped open the third one she looked up at Luke and finally spoke. "Staff Sergeant Brian Hunt?"

"Yeah. He is being investigated for negligence. He has lost control of his division."

"So why isn't he just pushed into retirement?"

"Because this goes bigger than division 22. We think there are corrupt officers leaking info and evidence to union reps."

"How long have you been investigating?"

"Three months."

"This has something to do with Swarek doesn't it?"

Luke stared at her for a moment then nodded.

"He is gone UC?"

Luke nodded again.

"Jesus…" she looked down at the files on her lap. "So…what do you need me to do?"

"I'm getting daily reports from Sam in regards to the staff at 22 and the cases we may need to look at. I need you to help me investigate whatever he highlights."

"Okay."

"So first, get acquainted with where I am so far." Luke stood and grabbed his coat off the back of his chair. "Read up on these profiles. I'm going to need you working with me on this until it's over."

"Yes sir."

"You okay with all this Nash?"

"Yeah, of course! Thanks for the opportunity."

"Frank mentioned that you were interested in taking the detectives exam."

"Yeah."

"Look I know this is going to be tough. But you have to stay strong, you have to be able to work in these conditions."

"I know, I can do it."

"I know you can. That's why I asked for you."

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys, sorry for missing your update yesterday but I was recovering from a hangover from hell. (Totally worth it!) I read over the drunken update, surprisingly it made sense with minimum typos, but it went off in a direction I didn't intend. But it works. :) Thanks for sticking with me! On with the show!


	6. Chapter 6

After finishing his shift, Sam declined an invite to the bar and instead drove his truck home. It took him only a couple of hours to pack his belongings. Luke had said that the flat he was moving into was furnished so he left most of his belongings behind and trusted Luke to take care of them. When he got to the address he found Luke sitting outside on the stoop sipping a cup of coffee.

"What are you doing here Callaghan?" Sam asked when he parked and went round to the back of his truck to collect his belongings.

"I came to help you move."

Luke reached into the boot and grabbed one of the bags and slung it over his shoulder.

"You are a true friend."

Once in the door he dropped the bag and walked through the apartment. It was a small terraced duplex with a large kitchen dining room and a compact living room. There was a shower and bathroom behind the kitchen. By the front door a staircase brought him up to a landing with three doors. The first one opened to a standard bedroom, the second to a hotpress and the third to a large bathroom with a walk in shower.

"Hell of a place you got me here," he called out to Luke as he came back down the stairs where Luke was standing by the still open door. "Just had it lying around huh?"

"Actually no."

"Where did it come from?"

"Leasing it from a friend," Luke said cryptically.

"Oh? Maybe it's you who should be investigated. Back handers from police investigation funds."

"Did you notice the blue sedan out there?"

"Yeah. Driver and one passenger."

"You ready for this?"

Sam let his jacket slide off his shoulders and turned his back on Luke to hang it on the end of the bannister. When he spun back to face him Luke hit him on the chin with a strong right hook. Sam stumbled back against the wall but ducked in time to dodge the next punch. He bent at the waist, pushed himself away from the wall and tackled Luke out the door. They both tumbled onto the porch, Sam landed on top and lifted his fist to hit Luke in the face. Luke tried to block it but Sam connected with his ear. Luke pulled both of his arms up to cover his head as he tried to roll over to buck Sam off him. Sam threw punch after punch some connected some missed. Luke tried to dodge all he could but Sam was a good shot. Too good.

"Jesus…" he muttered, enough for Sam to hear and as his fist came down towards Luke's face, Sam moved it a little to the side and missed. Luke felt Sam's grip on him loosen and he rolled over to push him off. Sam fell to the left and Luke rolled the other way to get to his feet. His face was battered and bloody and he looked up at Sam who had a bruise forming on his cheek, a split lip and blood pouring out of his nose. He wondered briefly how many of those punches were thrown as part of an act and how much had deeper meaning.

Sam stared at Luke as he backed away and went down the stairs. He had enjoyed that more than he cared to admit and he could tell by the look of cold fury on Luke's face that he could tell. Luke got into his car and took off. Sam went back into his new home and closed the door behind him but not before seeing if the car that had followed him home from Division 22 was still there.

He could just make it out but was unable to read the license plate but he had a good idea who it was. Sam closed the door, grabbed his bags and started to unpack.

* * *

Andy sat in the parade room eating toast and only half listening to Frank at the top of the room. He spoke about assignments again and called everyone's attention to a B&E squad that was making the rounds around North York. Andy tried to concentrate on what he was saying but then she spotted Luke walking in and going straight to his office. But he wasn't quick enough on hide the bruising on his face.

As soon as Frank was finished she jumped up out of the chair and hurried over to Luke. She opened the door without knocking and crossed the small room to stand in front of his desk.

"Luke…what happened?" His eye was bruised and swollen. His lip was split, and an ugly bruise scared his skin from temple to below his jaw.

"Nothing."

"Luke…"

"McNally, drop it. It's got nothing to do with you."

"It's got something to do with Sam."

"Officer McNally," Luke's voice was stern and he stood up as he spoke. "You have a job to do. I suggest you go and take care of it and stay away from my investigation."

Andy stared at him for a few minutes then walked out to the bullpen where she was greeted by Oliver.

"What's happening?" He asked when he spotted Luke's face as he watched her leave.

"I think Luke was in a fight last night with Sam."

"What?"

"I dunno Oliver I just hate this so much. The lies, the darkness. Everything about this feels wrong."

"It usually does. That's when you know that the UC is working."

He slipped an arm over his shoulder and left her out to the patrol car.

"I guess, but maybe it wouldn't hurt if we drove by his flat?" Andy spoke softly. "You know, make sure it's all ok?"

"I think that would be a dangerous move."

"You know that have that new Chicken Shack just up the road from his flat. We could go there for lunch."

Oliver nodded. He was dying to see Sam as much as her. He hadn't answered any of his calls, Frank was being tight lipped and no one at 22 was talking.

"Hmmm I do love their wings."

* * *

Sam leaned back in the car and watched Tommy hurry across the street from the hot dog stand. He passed one into Sam through the open window and leaned on the bonnet to eat his own.

"So, you never told me what happened…but wait…" He bit his dog and smiled as he chewed it. "Let me guess."

Sam looked up and grimaced. He tried to eat his dog but every time he opened his mouth too wide the cut on his lip reopened and caused him more pain. He tore the dog up into smaller chunks to eat that way instead.

"Walked into a door."

Sam shook his head.

"Fell down the stairs."

Sam raised an eyebrow as he popped another piece of his dog into his mouth.

"Is your wife or girlfriend beating you up?" Tommy laughed. "You know what Sammy, it's not your fault. It's theirs. There are places you can go to get some help."

Sam couldn't help but laugh this time.

"Okay, I give up…tell me."

"Rogue detective."

"Oh?" This seemed to get Tommy's attention. He leaned down into the car. "What happened?"

"Dumb detective who tried to pin a conviction on me called round to ask me politely to rethink my innocence."

"Asked you with his fists?"

"Well I responded with mine."

Tommy laughed, leaned his hand in and patted Sam on the shoulder. He tossed his wrapper into the bin and came round to sit into the car again.

"You have plans tonight Swarek?"

Sam shook his head as he put the last piece of hot dog into his mouth.

"Good. Carl has a card game on. Kick off is 8."

"Where?"

Tommy looked at him and seemed to ponder something for a moment then he focused back on the road. "You know Bromton Drive? It's in Bendale."

"Yeah I can find it."

"Number 13."

"Who plays?"

"Me and Carl. Sometimes Nicky if she can get away."

"Get away?" Sam had only spoken with Nicky once. She seemed pleasant and hard working.

"She is married with three kids. Sometimes when the shift is over she disappears. Sometimes she hands around. Another player we get is Will." Tommy looked over at Sam and noticed the confused look. "Oh you haven't met him yet. He is the union rep for 22."

"You play poker with your union rep?"

"Yeah, he's a great player… in that he has really easy tells." Tommy laughed.

"Okay yeah, sounds good."

* * *

Andy waited impatiently for Oliver to come out of the chicken restaurant. She checked her watch for the umpteenth time and sighed when she finally saw him crossing the road. He had a large bag of food in his hand and a holder with two sodas. She had all but started the car and was driving just when he closed the door.

"Whoa there McNally…It's not going anywhere!"

"I just…I just need to see it."

She drove the two blocks to Sam's flat and resisted the urge to put on the lights and sirens. When she pulled up outside the flat she was stuck to the chair with what she saw. Planted on the front porch was a large FOR SALE sign.

"What?" She hopped out of the car and hurried up to the front door. She peered into the window there and saw packing boxes. "Hey Oliver…Check this out!"

Oliver joined her and was dismayed at the sight of the boxes. It looked like his belongings have been packed away, his furniture was moved to a single spot as if it was being prepared to be packed into a truck.

"What do you make of this?"

"Looks like he is moving…If he is working out of 22, it makes sense to cut his commute time down by an hour."

"But if this was a UC case, why would be move?"

"Maybe he won't be coming back after the UC case." Oliver spoke softly almost afraid to admit what they were both thinking. "McNally, this is useless. We shouldn't be here." Oliver took her arm and guided her back to the squad car, but this time he drove.

He kept quiet as she watched the streets go by. Oliver steered the car towards Bluffs Park and parked the car facing the lake. He killed the engine and turned to face McNally. She was silent as she stared out the window.

"Hey…hey McNally…" he touched her arm and urged her to look at him. "You need to let this go."

"How? How can I just walk away from this?"

"Andy." She looked over at him and he saw the confusion in her eyes. "This is something that's gone over our heads, beyond our scope. We need to walk away."

"You don't believe that he is really involved in this."

"No, of course not."

"Then how can you walk away so easily?"

"Firstly, nothing about this is easy for me. Secondly, I trust Sam. I trust him implicitly. I trust that he knows what he is doing and that he knows where I am if he needs me."

"And if he calls?"

"Then I'll have his back, in a flash." Oliver looked at her for a moment. "And so will you."

Andy nodded. And Oliver patted her arm. Then reached down by her feet and grabbed the bag of food. "Eat." He commanded as he opened it up and took out a piece of chicken.

* * *

Sam paid the cab and climbed out carrying the 6pack of beer in one hand and his burner phone in the other. He stepped into the curb across the road from the house Tommy had told him to go to for the poker game, and dialled Luke's number. He left a voicemail stating where he would be for the next few hours and told him he would report back when he got home. Then he zipped it into his inside pocket. He crossed the road and knocked on the door lightly.

Carl opened the door with a mouth full of food, smiled grotesquely and waved him in without speaking. He pointed towards a room at the back of the house and followed him in. By the time they got to the game room he had finished his food and introduced Sam to everyone.

"Sam this is Nicky, Tommy you know, and Will Manning." Carl pointed at a seat and Sam sat down. "Everyone, meet Sam, our newest copper at 22 as well as our newest player."

They all smiled and greeted him warmly. Sam pulled one of his beers out and opened it.

"So what's the buy in?" he asked as he sipped his drink.

"100 dollars."

"Whoa, on a coppers salary?" Sam chuckled as he reached for his wallet. "I take it this isn't a weekly game."

"I wish," Nicky said as she took his money and handed over his chips. "I could retire with a lovely nest egg by the end of the year."

They all laughed and Carl took the cards to shuffle. Then dealt them all a card each face up until the first knave appeared. It landed in Sam's pile so he gathered up all the cards then shuffled and dealt.

"So Sam…what happened there?" Nicky asked as she gestured at the bruising on Sam's face.

"Rough interrogation."

"You were dishing it out?" Carl asked.

"Not at first…but I think I finished it." Carl reached over and patted him on the back and smiled. "Ante up."

The game was casual with plenty of banter. Sam listened more than talked but a lot of the chatter was full of in jokes and anecdotes he didn't know. But it gave him great insight to the group.

Tommy was clearly the alpha. Made decisions arbitrarily and was followed by everyone. Carl was his right hand man, backing him up with immediate statements as soon as he spoke. Nicky was more laid back. She spoke fondly of her family but also added self-deprecating humour and Sam couldn't help but like her. Then there was Will Manning. Union rep. He was playing his cards very close to his chest. As Tommy as mentioned earlier his poker tells were easy to spot but Sam couldn't help but think he was being played and his poker tells were part of this game.

All throughout the game he felt like he was under scrutiny and for the most part he figured he really was. They were assessing him as much as he was assessing them. As he finished his last bear and played a final hand of poker Sam went All-in with his last few chips but Nicky called his bluff and he had to show his hand of nothing.

"Well I'm all tapped out."

Nicky laughed and gathered all the chips over to her side of the table with both of her arms. "Hard luck Sam."

"You play a helluva hand there."

"Ah it's just my night."

"Well it certainly isn't mine."

Sam stood and stretched his arms above his head, then reached for his jacket.

"Don't want to buy in again Sam?" Carl asked.

"No I think I'll have to wait until my next paycheque before I sit at this table again."

"I'll show you out," Tommy said as he stood with him. They walked to the front door and Tommy closed the door behind him then leaned against the porch and lit a cigarette. "Feeling the pinch?"

"Huh?" Sam looked up at him. "You mean the money?"

Tommy nodded.

"Yeah I guess. After transferring, moving house, having to wait for another month for the next paycheque… damn right I'm feeling the pinch."

"Gambling not helping then?" Tommy said smiling.

"Not the way I play." Sam looked out into the night sky, and sensed that this chat was more than just a chat so he persisted. "I just need to find a way to get by."

"Like what?"

"Huh?"

"What do you need to get by?"

"Oh," Sam chuckled. "You know, the usual, rent, food, bills."

"Do you need a dig out?"

"No, no I couldn't take charity from someone I don't really know."

"What better way to get to know someone than to lend them money."

"Ha, yeah well thanks for the offer but I'm not a fan of hand-outs." Sam smiled crookedly at him and shrugged. "If there was some way to work for it, something I could do…then that's a different story."

Tommy finished his cigarette and stubbed it out on the porch then crossed his arm across his chest and looked at Sam. For a moment Sam had thought that he had pushed too far too soon. But working this UC case was harder than anything he had done before. It wasn't a new character he was working with, it wasn't a new life a Sam, it was him. Himself. Sam, working out of 22 instead of 15. And it was killing him.

"Maybe I have something for you. You working tomorrow?"

"No."

"Call Brian, asked for OT. Come into the evidence lock up. I'll be there from 10."

"Okay, sounds good." Sam sensed the moment was fleeting so he backed away from the door and waved goodbye. He heard the door behind him closing and continued to walk. He walked three more blocks before he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled Luke's number. Luke answered on the first ring.

"Sam."

"I have a meeting tomorrow in evidence lock up at 22."

"Who?"

"Tommy Monaghan."

"Anyone else?"

"No. Well I dunno there could be more there tomorrow. I have a new name though. Will Manning."

"Will Manning. Union Rep?"

"Yeah. I met him tonight. There was something there."

"Did he say something?"

"Nothing incriminating. But it was more his mannerisms."

"Okay, I'll look into him." Luke trusted Sam's instincts. "Anything else?"

"No, that's all I have at the moment."

"Thanks for the info Sam."

"How is the investigation goin?"

"All this info we're getting is really helping us build a very strong case."

"Us?"

"Nash is working on this with me. Don't worry, she understands the confidentiality issue." He assured Sam. "I think we are very close to a conviction. One more week, maybe two and we'll have them."

"Great. So…how's the face?" Sam said and he lifted his hand up to touch his own bruised cheek.

"Healing. Yours?"

"Not as bad as yours."

Luke chuckled. "Goodnight Sam."

Sam slipped the phone back into his pocket and walked the rest of the way home.

* * *

**A/N:** Mini chapter to get the flow going. Its all heating up now!


	7. Chapter 7

Sam put on his uniform in the locker room then walked casually to the evidence locker room. He carried two cups of coffee with him and was surprised to find the room empty. He walked past the main counter and up and down the shelves but it was totally empty. Back at the counter he found an envelope with his name on it. He put both cups down and opened the envelope and found a hand written note inside. It was from Tommy and asked him to help out by cataloguing all inventory dated from Aug 2010 to Dec 2010.

Sam went back to the shelving and found the right area then looked down at the list of evidence he needed to count and got started. By the time he was half way through the pattern became apparent.

For every log entry he was supposed to count there was an excess on the evidence shelf. Sam piled the excess in a different area, used a separate page to log the evidence he was moving but when he heard someone coming in she slipped that page into his pocket and went out to the main counter to greet whomever it was.

Tommy rapped his knuckles on the counter and leaned on his forearms to smile at Sam as he approached.

"How are you getting on in here?"

"Thought you were going to meet me here this morning."

"I left a note." Tommy looked over Sam's shoulder at the pile of excess evidence that he had made. "I see you got started."

"Yeah, it's strange though, all this extra gear. There is about 10 kilos of cocaine, three assault rifles, and nearly 750 thousand dollars. And I still have another month to go."

"Yeah this happens. They get mixed up en route, they get shuffled around in house, chain of evidence is broken and we lose control. Every so often we have to redo the inventory. That's where you and I come in."

"How?"

"Well you've counted it, now I'll move it."

"Move it to where?"

"Come on Sam, do you really want me to answer that question?" Tommy came around the counter and only then Sam noticed he had a large duffel bag. He watched as Tommy filled the bag with the evidence Sam had pushed aside. Then slung the bag over his shoulder and prepared to walk out the door. "I'll call round tonight."

Sam nodded. Let him walk out the door and fell back into his seat after the door closed. He sat still for nearly ten minutes then walked out of the division and jumped into his truck. He took the cell from his glove compartment and dialled Luke's number.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Tommy Callaghan just left 22 with a duffel bag full of logged evidence. 10 kilos of cocaine, three assault rifles, and 735 thousand dollars."

"Where is he gone?"

"I don't know. He didn't tell me, he said he'd call round to me tonight."

"Any idea where he might be gone?"

"None."

"Okay, so tonight."

"Should I tail him?"

"No, no leave him. I've got eyes on the 4 main players already. Don't blow your cover."

"Okay. And for tonight…?"

"Time to get the new flat wired. I'll have it done by 3pm."

"Great, another fishbowl living experience."

"Just think of it as your own reality TV show."

Sam hung up and put the phone back into the glove compartment then went back into the division to continue counting the evidence.

* * *

Traci sat back in her chair and pressed the heel of her hands into her eyes. She looked up when Luke came into the room and closed the door behind him.

"What have you got?"

"The flat has been bugged, and I have command access set up." Luke sat at his PC and logged into the right application and accessed the cameras he had set up around Sam's flat. "I set up two buyers to take care of the evidence this morning."

"I had a look into Will Manning like you asked."

"Oh, what did you find?" he swivelled on his chair to face her more fully.

"He was investigated before."

"Oh?"

"He came from a different jurisdiction."

"Which?"

"Edmonton."

"Edmonton?"

"Yeah, he was investigated for misappropriation of funds. Seems like he had a penchant for track betting."

"How much was he in for?"

"12 grand."

"And he paid it off?"

"Yeah, he used union funds to pay it off. Then moved from Edmonton to Ottawa where again he was investigated for fraud but was cleared of all charged. He moved to Toronto 5 years ago and has been living under the radar but it looks like he was working through the other coppers."

"How far back can we track communication between Manning and Monaghan?"

"The first record of comms I have is three years ago when he Monaghan was involved in an investigation where the chain of evidence was broken. Manning was his union rep and interviewed him."

"Can you get me the case file on that investigation?"

"I have it here." She passed him the slim folder. "Tommy Monaghan was involved in an investigation on Brian Wilcox a known drug dealer in North York. They ran a raid on his house and recovered 24 kilos of cocaine. But when the cocaine was logged into the evidence room at 22, only 15 kilos were recorded. The error wasn't noticed until the case went to trial. It resulted in a mistrial as the chain of evidence was broken."

"He was cleared of all charges?"

"Yeah, Manning spoke with SIU and explained that evidence logging at the scene wasn't reliable so the total in the evidence locker was accurate."

"Jesus this guy is something else." Luke closed the file and slapped it onto the table. "This case is getting way heavier than I had intended."

"Want me to put a tail on Manning?"

"Yeah, please. And keep an eye on Sam's flat, let me know if anything happens."

"Will do."

Luke grabbed his jacket and left the room and Tracy finished up what he had asked for. She went into the kitchen past the bullpen to grab a cup of coffee. Working on this case was exhilarating as much as it was stressful. Knowing she had to keep everything to herself was killing her. There was no one in 15 she could lean on except Luke and as open and trusting as he was being with her throughout this case, she wanted to show him how capable she was, and not spend every minute badgering him with question.

"Hey Traci!"

Traci turned to see Andy hurrying over to her.

"Hey Andy."

"What's goin on with you?" Andy tried to keep the tension out of her voice but there was nothing she could really do to hide it.

"Working on a case with Callaghan."

"Which case? Sam's?"

"I can't talk about it Andy, please don't ask me."

"I just want to know if he's alright."

"Andy, really…I can't talk about it."

Traci looked away from her friend as she couldn't stand the look of despair she was seeing there.

"Okay, you're right. I'm sorry." Andy reached out and squeezed Traci's shoulder. "I shouldn't have asked you, I didn't mean to put you in a tough position."

"Thanks."

"I won't ask again."

Andy turned and walked away, half of her wanting Traci to stop her, the other half knowing she wouldn't. She went over to her desk and finished typing up her paperwork when Oliver came over.

"That guy is processed in booking. Ready to go out again?"

"Yeah sure." She saved the file, watched Traci grab her coffee and return to the detective's office and close the door behind her. Then she grabbed her jacket and followed Oliver back out to the car.

* * *

Sam unlocked the front door of his new apartment, tossed his jacket onto the bannister and carried his dinner into the kitchen. He hated the feeling of living under the cameras but Luke had set up the system without his supervision so he had no control of them right now. He knew they were on and he knew they were being monitored but he just focused on what he was doing and tried to forget it.

Sam dished his takeout food onto a plate then carried it into the living room to eat with a fork. He switched on the TV, found a hockey game and left it on as he ate. Once he was finished eating he lay back and watched the rest of the game but his mind was elsewhere. He had inventoried all of the evidence from the remaining months, and had even gone so far as to record all the other pieces of evidence in the room.

When he was done he returned to his locker to change into his clothes and found an envelope in his jacket pocket. When he checked inside he saw it was full of money. He hadn't counted it but he guessed it was about three grand. Sam shoved it back into his pocket, and left the division. On his drive on the way home, he called Luke who told him to hold onto it until it was safe to meet up.

Luke then broke down the surveillance equipment that had been set up in his flat and Sam only listened. Something was going to happen tonight and it was going to be a major piece in the puzzle. However he reacted to it was going to either make or break this case and he knew Luke, this whole investigation, was counting on him.

Sam checked his watch, it was just after nine. He carried his plate out to the kitchen and rinsed it in water before leaving it out to dry and going to bed. He lay awake for most of the night, and woke at first light. The first thing he did when he woke was to check both of his phones. Neither had missed calls or messages.

Sam fell back onto the pillows and tried to get more sleep. He actually had a day off today and was going to use it to try and relax before he snapped from the tension. But no matter how much he tried, his mind only wandered to one moment. One memory. One sensation.

* * *

Andy turned over in her bed and wondered what she was going to do with herself. She had the next day off work and hated the idea of moping. She asked frank for overtime to keep herself busy, keep her mind occupied but he had practically shoved her out the door. He had told her that if he had to put up with her for one more say he was likely to quit himself.

So she found herself lying awake in her room thinking of Sam and wondering what he was doing, not realising, he was doing the very same.

"God dammit…" she muttered aloud as she got out of the bed and pulled on her jogging clothes. If lying still in bed wouldn't help her get her mind of him then maybe pounding the pavement would.

* * *

Sam threw the duvet off his legs with a curse and stormed over to his dresser. He pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top then found his runners and left. He turned the music up loud enough to cancel out any and all noise. He picked a fast playlist. His angry work out he liked to call it and ran as fast as his legs would allow him. He found himself running though Woodbine Park, lapping the lakes there but the morning strollers and fitness classes irritated him no end so he crossed lakeshore road and started to run on the board walk along the beach instead.

This route was less travelled as the wind coming from the lake was strong enough to bite but this was exactly what he was looking for. His calves ached, and his back was covered with a film of sweat. But the music pushed him and he needed to focus on it.

* * *

Andy stopped on the boardwalk and bent over double to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding in her chest almost making it hard for her to hear her music. She watched the passer-by for a moment but when she thought she saw Sam she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"That's just earned you another 3 kilometres." She changed the music to something fast and took off, forcing her legs to run faster, forcing her muscles to keep up. She watched the ground as she ran, watched her feet, just kept running, faster, harder, anything than sit around moping. She felt an ache creep up her leg from her heel to her hip and she tried to run past it but when it quickly became apparent that she was about to go into full blown crap she slowed down her running and sat onto a bench facing the lake. She stretched her leg out in front of herself and massaged her aching muscle then closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath.

* * *

Sam pushed himself harder. Ignored the pain in his legs, in his chest in his lungs, all over and just kept running.

Once he reached the end of the board walk he turned without pausing and started to run back the other way. Every sinew in his body was screaming in agony. Every part of his being needed him to stop but the minute he stopped running she flashed before him so he just kept running.

Until physically his body could not keep up. He spotted a bench 500 yards away and found it somewhere deep inside himself to push for that last target.

By the time he reached it, his lungs were burning. He panted to get a breath as he leaned down to rest against the back of it, not trusting himself to sit on it, lest he not be able to stand again. He gripped the back with his hands, bent at the waist and closed his eyes. Not realising who was sitting on it, catching her own breath.

He stretched his left leg out far behind himself, then his right, tensing and relaxing the aching muscles there then lifted his head and stood up to stretch out his back. When he opened his eyes he spotted her immediately. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail but strands had come loose and were clinging to her neck with sweat. He recognised the tee she was wearing though he supposed many women in the city had similar sports tops. But he knew it was her.

He released his grip on the bench and started to back away. The music was still playing loudly in his ears but all he could hear was his own heartbeat. He got a few feet away then turned on his heel and ran.

* * *

Andy got rid of her aching muscle and stood to stretch out the rest of her body. She turned to lift one leg onto the bench in time to see Sam bolting away.

"Sam?" she called after him. "SAM!"

But he couldn't hear her, or chose to ignore her, she wasn't sure which. Part of her waned to believe he had followed her here but then realised how idiotic that was when she didn't even know she was going to be here herself until she got here.

The other part of her wanted to run after him, chase him down and talk to him but the part that was watching him run away now knew there was a reason he was running. That was until he looked back over his shoulder at her.

* * *

Sam ran as far and fast as he could but nothing on this planet could have stopped him from looking back over his shoulder at her. And when he did, he saw her watching him. It was merely a glance. But it was enough. His run slowed to a jog, which then slowed to a walk until he came to a full stop. He stood with his back to her, his hands on his hips as he tried to catch his breath and waited for her.

He knew she would be approaching him. He could tell from the look on her face, in that single fleeting moment that she was going to come to him.

Her soft footfall was unmistakeable but what was surprising was the lack of touch he could feel. He expected her to reach out to him, touch his arm, his shoulder, his back. He craved it. But when it didn't come, he turned to face her.

"Sam…"

"Hi Andy." He surprised himself by the seeming control he had of his voice.

Their eyes locked. Both of them were panting, both of them trying to slow down their heart rates but it wasn't the fast paced run that had induced the near cardiac arrest speed and they both knew it.

"I miss you." She blurted it out without meaning to. He wanted nothing more right then than to pull her into his arms and hold her close but he knew he could be being watched so he resisted. He did not want her dragged into this. So the only response he offered was a nod of his head. "I don't believe you have done any of what they say you have."

He still didn't respond. He just watched her. His eyes travelled from her eyes to her lips, her parted lips especially when her tongue came out to lick them. Then down to her heaving breasts as she tried to catch her breath.

"I just wanted you to know that. I believe in you. I know you are working hard to…move past the accusations. And I guess I just wanted to tell you, if you need me in any way…for anything…you can count on me."

Sam closed his eyes to stop himself from reaching out to her. She took the moment to walk away knowing that as long as she was locked in his gaze she would never get away. She took a breath, took the image of him all in then walked past him without another word. Only she let her fingers brush over his as she passed and he almost lost it.

At that very moment the priority of that case had sunk so low he never cared if he worked on the force again if only it meant he could hold her in his arms for just a second. But then he heard her footsteps get away from him, heard them speed up and heard them faint into the distance as she got further away. He didn't trust himself to turn to face her so he waited a few moments until he was sure she was gone, then ran in the opposite direction.

* * *

**A/N**: A double update today to make up for the lack of update on sunday :D


	8. Chapter 8

Sam was home within the hour, had changed and collapsed onto the couch where he slept like the dead. He would have slept longer too if he hadn't been woken up by the doorbell. He threw the duvet off himself, grabbed a pair of sweats and hurried down to answer it, looking at each camera as he passed hoping that someone was watching on the other side.

He pulled the door open and immediately stepped back as Tommy was already walking in.

"Morning beautiful," Tommy said as he handed him a pastry bag.

"Thought you were going to call me yesterday."

"Don't get clingy on my now Sammy," Tommy spoke as he walked through his flat eating a pastry of his own.

"Well you say you're gonna call, but you don't call. A girl gets worried."

Tommy laughed and came back to meet Sam in the living room. "So you finished up in the evidence room?"

"Yeah."

"Find any more discrepancies?"

"Yeah, a few."

"We really need to tighten up our logging system."

"I also found something in my locker."

Tommy chuckled. "It's not charity Sam, you worked for that."

"Any more work you need me to do?"

"Yeah actually, I do." Sam sat forward on the couch and put the pastry onto the coffee table beside him. He didn't speak. He waited instead for Tommy to say the first word. "There is a sting operation happening saturday night in Rogue Park."

"Rogue Park in Malvern? That's part of the 42 district."

"Yeah, this one is under the radar. Part of a UC operation one of our coppers has been working on for the last three months."

"Oh? What's the sting?"

"Drugs bust." Tommy watched him carefully for any reaction but Sam was an old hat at keeping his emotions in check. "We're meeting with the UC copper as potential buyers. We will get the ball rolling on the purchasing. Then back away once the word is out."

"How many officers will be involved?"

"It's a smaller operation than you may be used to. There will only be three of us."

"Who?"

"Me, you, Carl."

"Back up?"

Tommy shrugged. "The UC team will be watching the whole time should we need any back up but this is going to be an in and out job. We're merely players on the grander scheme."

"So what's my task?"

"I need you to go up to the UC copper and buy some drugs."

Sam started laughing. "Just like that?"

"He knows you are coming, he will expect your transaction."

"How much am I buying?"

"7 kilos."

"What?! 7 kilos on a street transaction."

Tommy looked at him for a minute. Then sat back in his chair and smiled. "This is the beginning of stepping this operation up a notch. We need to show the seller that we mean business."

"The seller who is the UC copper?"

"No the seller higher than him up the chain. By increasing sales for our seller we're getting him more traction in the business." Slowly Sam started to nod his head and sat back in his chair too. "I know this seems like a big deal Sam but it's not really, we're just helping the investigation along. If you aren't interested-"

"It's not that that I'm not interested. I just want to know what I'm letting myself in for."

"You can trust me Sammy."

"Yeah I'm sure I can and I'm also sure I have the same doubts about you that you have about me."

"Doubts?" Tommy stood up and walked over to the mantelpiece. "What doubts do you have about me?"

"I just started here a few days ago. I just like to get my feet on the ground before…"

"Before?"

"Before I start working the angles," Sam finished honestly.

Tommy laughed. "Well think of this as merely a running start."

"So," Sam said after a moment's pause. "What's the plan?"

* * *

Luke arranged to meet Sam out at the end of the pier on Humber Bay. He got there early and scoped out the area, then picked a spot on the bench and unfolded his newspaper. It was a balmy evening and there were enough people in the area to make it look natural that he was there too. As expected Sam was not at the meeting point at the arranged time. He expected him to keep him waiting for at least half an hour. Forty minutes later Sam came jogging up and used the bench Luke was sitting on to stretch out his legs.

"Sorry to keep you waiting boss."

"Shaking a tail?"

"No, just late." Sam smiled then stood up and stretched his arms up high above his head.

"So you are all set for the sting on Saturday?"

"Yeah. He said I should hold tight until Saturday afternoon."

"What about a wire."

"What about it?"

"We only have your flat wired up. Will you wear a wire to the sting?"

"Jesus no." Sam stretched one arm out straight and pulled it tight across this chest. "This is a test. This is something I need to do to prove to them that I'm on their side."

"And if it all goes wrong?"

"It won't." He switched arms and pulled the other one tight across his chest. "All I have to do is walk up to this guy in a burrito van in Rogue Park, ask for the number 7 with extra hot sauce and a coke."

"The number 7?"

"Apparently the menu only goes up to number 6." Sam chuckled.

"Fool proof plan."

"When I get my order, bagged, I pay in cash then walk away."

"And Tommy?"

"He'll be waiting in a parked car, as soon as I get the goods I go over and we leave."

"As simple as that."

"The cash will be coming from the evidence lock up in 22."

"I figured."

"Anyway, that's it, no wires, no tails and no tracking. I'll call you when it's done."

"Sam…" Luke looked at him for the first time since they met. "Be careful."

Sam nodded then jogged away.

* * *

The next few days for Sam were spent working in 22. Simply working the job he knew and loved only now, instead of being surrounded by friends, people he counted as family he was surrounded by coppers he couldn't trust, an worse than that, coppers who didn't care.

Every evening when he made it home he thanked his lucky stars he had made it through another day. He didn't mind patrolling alone, but he did mind patrolling with incompetent coppers who didn't care what they did or didn't do. It was like the uniform meant nothing to them.

He had managed to steer clear of any incidents, finished his paperwork after his shifts and even mingled with the coppers in the bar after work. Everything to them seemed normal, seemed like he was ready to integrate fully into their midst. But when he went home, to the empty flat he didn't know, he filled out his daily report, called in his update and went to bed.

* * *

Traci had been watching him from 6pm to midnight all week and she couldn't help but feel bad for the existence he had chosen. She watched him come home from work. Watched as he worked on his computer, called in his verbal report then ate a small dinner and went to bed. He kept an entirely solitary existence at home and she could see the pain in his face.

He used the TV for background noise, often left it on during the night and sometimes even slept on the couch rather than go to bed.

She took notes on everything that happened, clocked the times and task and fed them the next morning into the report. Luke looked them over every morning and left her notes on her investigation to pick up when she came in.

She had been avoiding Andy for a multitude of reasons. She didn't want to let slip any of the information from the investigation and from the look on Andy's face she was dying to know more. It was over a week since Sam left and his absence was felt more each day. 15 division seemed to be torn. No one wanted to believe he was capable of what they had accused him of, but Luke carried a lot of respect and no one believed he would be so wrong about something so serious.

The station was divided and morale was at an all-time low.

When she came in on Friday afternoon to monitor Sam's flat, she read over the notes Luke had left for her then got her own notes ready and focused on the screens. She checked her watch and saw it was only half five and knew Sam would not be home for at least another hour. So she rewound the tapes from the day time and watched them through at double speed until she was caught up to speed. As usual, there was nothing to see during the day and she logged it in her notes.

She kept one eye on the screens and the rest of her focus was split between character investigations. She had a file for each of the suspects involved and studied the detail there, adding more when she uncovered it and highlighting it when it was confirmed.

As she sat back to rub her tired eyes she potted Andy sitting alone in the break room. She noted the time on the monitors then walked out to the break room for a coffee. As expected Andy ignored her. So Traci got her own drink and sat down across from her friend.

"Hey."

"Hi Traci." Andy glanced up but only for a moment.

"How are you doing?"

"As expected."

"I'm sorry Andy, about all this."

"Traci don't," She reached a hand out to cup Traci's and smiled wanly. "It's not your fault. It's all part of the job."

"I know."

"I saw him a few days ago."

"Andy! Please don't tell me you-"

"No, it was purely by accident. I was out running. I went down by the beach across from woodbine."

"Did you talk to him?"

"Not really. I blurted something at him then ran away, I barely even remember it myself…"

Traci could see she was lying but didn't push it any further. "Look I know I haven't been a great friend recently, I've been working late here with Luke."

"I know, its ok."

"But maybe on Sunday we can hang out?"

"I'd like that."

Traci patted Andy's shoulder as she stood up and walked back to the investigation room.

* * *

Sam sat in the back of the car with Carl and Tommy in the front. The bag of money was on his lap and he felt weighted down. Not just by the money but the whole set up. He felt like he was walking into a trap. His fight or flight instinct was kicking up into high gear and it was telling him, yelling at him to run.

"Okay Sammy, go for it." Tommy spoke as he watched Sam through the rear-view mirror.

Sam nodded and climbed out of the car. He could see the burrito van across the park and he took a roundabout way to get there. When he got closer he spotted a few people hanging around. Some were eating some just chatting. He waited until the sign was clear then stepped up to the counter an asked for the appropriate order.

The chef stared at him for a minute then smiled and winked. "No problem hombre, gimme 2 minutes."

Sam looked around, no one seemed to be watching, and no one seemed to care. He resettled the bag on his shoulder and was surprised at how it seemed even heavier now. When the chef returned he held out a bag and smiled. The bag seemed smaller than a briefcase but bigger than what would be necessary for food.

He took the bag and lifted the money up onto the counter. The chef quickly took the food below the counter and waved a salute at Sam then turned away. Sam didn't even look inside the bag he was given and instead he turned and walked back to the car where Tommy and Carl were waiting. Carl turned half way round in his seat to face Sam as Tommy drove off.

"Well?"

"I got it."

"Yeah but did you get me a burrito? I'm fucking starving!" Sam handed him over the bag and smiled. "They were fresh out."

Tommy laughed and caught Sam's eye in the mirror again. "Good job Swarek. In an out like a professional."

"Oh man this is top grade."

Carl had opened the bag and pulled out one brick of cocaine. He took a knife out of his pocket and slashed it open enough to scoop the blade in and take out a small pile on the edge of his blade. He lifted it up to his nose and sniffed it in with a long inhale then threw his head back and smiled languidly.

"Jesus Carl, can't you just wait until we get there?"

"I have to test the quality. You don't want to turn up to Manning's with something laces with fucking rat poison."

"Where are we going?"

This development in the plan was new to Sam. Before the plan was to grab the goods, and part ways. But now at the mention of Manning he felt a trickle of tension curl around his neck.

"We're going to drop this stuff off with Manning." Tommy said. "He is the union rep after all, chain of evidence will be safe with him."

Sam nodded as if he agreed but couldn't help but think something more was about to happen. He waited in silence in the bag of the car as they drove out of town towards Unionville. Soon they arrived to a non-descript home and Tommy pulled right into the drive way. He instructed both Carl and Sam to stay in the car then hurried up the drive to the front door. Sam noticed he didn't have to knock as the door was opened before he even finished climbing the steps onto the porch.

They spoke briefly for a few moments. Tommy handed him in the drugs then took an enveloped from Will and shoved it into his back pocket. They smiled, shook hands and Tommy came back to the car. He started the engine and reversed out of the garden then drove back into the city.

"So, how about a well-earned drink?"

"Hell yes!" Carl agreed. "I'm parched."

"Sounds good to me." Sam agreed even though he wanted nothing more right now than to go home and crawl into his own bed. An image of Andy writhing on his lap flashed before his eyes and he sighed. Well, almost nothing, he thought.

Tommy pulled over at a bar called Charlie's. He parked the car and they all walked in. Carl guided Sam to a booth while Tommy went to the bar to order a picture of beer. He arrived back with three glasses and a full pitcher and proceeded to pour. They each took a glass and clinked them together before drinking.

"Job well done guys. Another 7 kilos of drugs off the streets." Tommy said as he sipped his drink then he reached into his back pocket and pulled out the envelope.

Sam couldn't believe the audacity in how he opened the envelope, counted the money then handed over a wad of cash to Carl and another to Sam.

"Spend it wisely."

"And this is…" Sam asked even as he shoved it into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Think of it as your overtime." Tommy took a long sip and Sam followed his lead.

The rest of the evening was spent sharing stories, idle chatter and playing pool. When it was time to go, declined a lift and instead insisted they called a cab. None of them were in any fit state to drive and the last thing Sam needed was to be pulled in for a DUI with a wad of cash in his pocket and no doubt traces of cocaine on them. He waved down a cab then climbed in and was surprised when Tommy joined him. Cal waved them off and was pulling out his phone as he stumbled down the street.

"Is he gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, he had a chickadee who lives a few blocks from Charlie's. Whenever we go there he places a booty call."

"A booty call?"

Tommy laughed. "Please tell me you know what a booty call is."

"Yeah I know," Sam chuckled. "Of course I know. I just thought Carl was married."

"Ha! Married? No, he tried it once."

"Didn't take?"

"Not for him."

"Wandering eye?"

"And hands."

They both laughed and Sam leaned forward to guide the Taxi driver to his street. "Anywhere here is fine."

He rummaged in his pocket to pull out some crumbled notes.

"Yeah Sam, I'd love to come in for a drink."

"Huh?" Sam looked over his shoulder as Tommy climbed out of the cab and walked up his drive to his flat. Sam paid off the driver took his change then climbed out and met him on the porch.

"You accepted my invite?"

"Yeah, how gracious of you to offer."

Sam opened the door and led Tommy into the house. He beelined for the kitchen, opened the fridge and pulled out two beers.

"What no scotch?"

"No, no, not any more. Not since the Incident of '03," Sam said as he opened his beer and they clinked bottle necks.

"Oh you have to tell me this story."

Sam chuckled and led the way into the living room then kicked his shoes off and lay back on the couch. Tommy kicked his own shoes off, sat into the arm chair and propped his feet on the coffee table.

"So tell me about the incident."

"Oh man I dunno, I'm not sure if I trust you enough to share that story with you."

"Really?" Tommy laughed. "After today? You can't trust me?"

* * *

Traci sat back into the chair and opened the bag of chips. She crossed her feet at the ankles on the table beside the screen and almost choked at the sight of Tommy Monaghan and Sam walking through the front door of his apartment. She double checked all the equipment was recording pulled the earphones on and speed dialled Luke's phone. She smiled at Sam as he clocked each camera while walking through the house with Tommy behind him.

"Luke!" she called out as soon as he picked up. "Tommy Monaghan and Sam just walked into his flat."

"Just the two of them?"

"Yeah, they arrived in a cab I think."

"Okay, you recording?"

"Absolutely."

"Great, I'll be there in ten minutes."

* * *

"So after I made it out of the bar, I ralphed all over the sidewalk." Sam covered his face with one hand and let his laughter fill the room for second. "I stood up straight to make my way home, only when the urge to puke came again, I turned to the road, and barfed all over Staff Sergeant Paul Murphy from 27."

"No way!"

"Yeah, spend a couple of nights in the drunk tank. And he made me go back to the bar, clean up the street. Then back in 27 and clean the whole fleet of cars."

"Oh god, stop Sam, stop." Tommy was holding his stomach as he laughed.

"So since then… I don't drink scotch."

"Jesus I'm surprised you drink anything at all." Tommy stood and went to the kitchen to grab a couple more beers and handed one to Sam when he returned. "But I'm guessing a stoic man like you needs a few beers to loosen up. Chat to the ladies?"

Sam chuckled.

"So do you have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Ever been married?"

"God no."

"No one special?"

Sam hesitated. He sat up and took a long slug of his beer then turned to face Tommy. "No."

"Lies!" Tommy called out laughing. "Bare face lies. Who is she?"

"Not mine."

"So she is already married?"

"No!" Sam chuckled. "No she's not."

"So there is someone special."

"She is special." Sam drank some more beer. He lost focus and could no longer see Tommy sitting in front of him. "She's amazing."

"Why aren't you with her?"

"It's complicated."

"Oh god stop, complicated? Its sex Sam. If it's complicated then you are doing it wrong." Tommy downed the rest of his beer then put the empty bottle on the table and started to do up his shoes. "So where is she?"

"Hmm?"

"This complicated woman, where is she?" Sam shrugged noncommittally. "Was she from your old division?" Tommy took Sam's silence that he was right. "So why not call her? She probably only lives across town."

"It's not that simple Tommy. I left 15 under…less than stellar circumstances."

"Yeah well no one has a clean sheet. Everyone has a little mud on their shoes." Sam got up and walked Tommy to the door. "Thanks for the beer Sam."

"Any time."

"See you at parade tomorrow." Tommy stepped out onto the porch but turned back to Sam to say one last thing. "Great work today Sam."

"No problem. Happy to help."

"Manning will be in touch."

Sam waved him off them closed the door. He picked up the empty beer bottles and carried them out to the trash in the kitchen then turned off the lights and went to bed.

* * *

Luke pulled the earphones off and tossed them onto the table by the monitors. Traci did the same and looked over at Luke who was now pacing the room with his fingers running through his hair.

"Sorry Luke, I thought they might talk about something to do with the case."

"No it's not that." Luke stopped pacing. Let his hands fall to his sides then lifted them to his hips. "There is something off about that visit."

"What do you mean?"

"There had to be a reason for Monaghan going to Sam's flat."

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

* * *

**A/N**: Another bit of a choppy chapter but its hard to localise this story with everyone in different divisions. I think we need a bit of a 15 reunion!


	9. Chapter 9

Sam quickly fell into a routine. Three or four days in a row he would work at 22 as if it was a normal shift. He patrolled mainly with Tommy and for the most part Sam found him to be a perfectly competent copper. On the streets he was jovial, relaxed, and fair and talked to people with a certain ease that got them talking back. But underneath it all Sam realised he was watching everything and everyone for an opportunity to profit from them.

For nearly two and a half weeks he had played along and every so often, after a few days on normal patrol he found himself on "opportunistic overtime" as Tommy called it. And they all ended the same way. They would deliver drugs, cash, or guns to Will Manning's house then retire to Charlie's for beers.

Finally Sam found himself waking up with no plans. No shifts at 22 and no "opportunistic overtime" planned but he did wake up with a pounding headache. He sat on the edge of his bed and held his head in both hands. He walked to the bathroom and took some pain killers with a glass of water then returned to his bed and tried to sleep.

After a few hours of tossing and turning Sam got up, showered and dressed. He ate cereal standing in the kitchen then rinsed the dish out and left it on the drainer. He checked his watch. Twenty past ten on a Sunday morning.

Where would she be? He wondered. Jogging by the pier? Patrolling around Dundas? Lying in bed? Maybe thinking of him? He chuckled at the thought and pushed himself off the counter and grabbed his jacket from the bannister. He thought of taking his car but what he craved wasn't in his car so he took off on foot, hoping the fresh air would sooth his pounding head.

He walked towards the pier. He tried to convince himself he was walking aimlessly but he knew exactly where he was going. He walked with a destination in mind. That one spot where he had last seen her. He didn't think she'd be there but he saw it as a way of being close to her. As close to her as he could get without breaking his cover.

He strolled through the park, dodging the morning joggers, post church wanderers and families chasing balls on the grass. When he made it to the bench he sat down and stretched his legs out before him. He closed his eyes over and tried to calm the blood from pumping so ferociously though his head. The pain had not subsided at all and he was beginning to this this trek out to the fresh air was pointless.

Sam rolled his head around on his shoulders and closed his eyes. But jumped up when a hand rested on his shoulders. He wanted to turn around and see her standing there but instead it was Tommy.

"Hey Swarek." Tommy came around to the front of the bench to sit down and only then Sam realised he had a dog with him on a leash.

"Hi. What's this?"

"Borrowed this dog off the K9 division for a run tonight."

"Oh?" Sam reached over and ruffled the dog's head then scratched his ears making him bent his head towards Sam's lap. "Something you need help with?"

"That's why I'm here."

"Wait…how did you know I was here?" Sam looked over his shoulder as the hair on his neck tingled.

"I was driving on lakeshore and saw you coming into the park so I followed you."

"If you have a crush on me Tommy you should just come out and say it."

Tommy laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you Sam but you're not my type. Besides," he said as he stood up. "I don't date cops."

Sam tried to smile but the instant recognition of those words, who had said them to him and the look on her face when she did, killed the smile that started to curve his lips.

"So are you coming?" Tommy pulled on the dogs leash and tugged Sam out of his reverie.

"Where to?"

"Manning's."

"What's the plan?"

"Drugs bust out in Woodbridge."

Sam followed Tommy back towards his car and patted his pockets down then realised he didn't have his phone on him.

"Can we swing by my place first? I forgot my phone."

"No time Sam. We need to be at Manning's in twenty minutes."

Sam cursed himself for leaving without his phone but played along. They drove to Manning's and made it there in 15. But for the first time Tommy asked him to come into the house. He took the dog out of the trunk and went up to the door and again Sam noticed that the door opened before he rang.

Sam followed them in through the house to the kitchen where Carl was sitting at the table in his uniform with another uniformed cop Sam didn't recognise.

"Oh you got the dog?" Carl whistled to bring the dog closer but it stuck close to Tommy's heels. "What's its name?"

"What?" Tommy looked down at the dog as if it hadn't occurred to him until now to even ask. "I dunno."

"Sam thanks for joining us." Will shook his hand and gestured for him to sit at the table. "I don't think you mean Gareth Pollock. He is from 42."

Sam shook hands with Gareth and sat down.

"Okay, thanks for coming everyone." Will Manning leaned against the counter in his kitchen and crossed his arms over his chest. "This new sting operation will be the last for quite some time. We've managed to shake up three of the gangs that have held this city under ransom and I commend each and every one of you for your part in all of this. But our ministrations have not gone unnoticed. Tonight, there is a massive shipment of drugs coming in through Woodbridge and we are going to be part of the teams that will help to take it down."

"What's the plan?" Carl asked, still focused on trying to get the dog to come to his side.

"Two uniformed cops to join part of a task force that is being organised by Division 32."

"How?" Sam asked.

"I've spoken to Staff Sergeant Sharpe and he has granted a position on the lead team. Two officers and a dog."

"Who is going in?"

"Sam and Gareth." Tommy spoke up then walked across the room and handed the leash to Gareth.

Sam felt a tingle of worry wash over him. He was now being asked to walk first into a massive drugs operation with a copper he had never worked with. Nothing about this was a good idea.

"Sam and Gareth enter the house through the back door. Sweep the house with the task force and once it has been determined to be cleared you need to work with the K9 to source the drug stash."

"I've never handled a K9 before." Sam protested.

"I have!" Gareth said with a smile as he rubbed the dog's head.

Tommy rolled out a large page that had a map of the house they were raiding. He pointed out the rear entry Sam and Gareth would use, then highlighted a suspected basement entry in the kitchen.

"Here. This is where you should focus your search with the dog."

"Where are you getting your sources?" Sam asked then looked up at the stony expression on Tommy and Will. "I mean what makes you think there is something in the basement?"

"One of the runners spilled in interrogation."

"What time is the raid?" Gareth asked.

"In forty minutes."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Carl I need you to stay in the patrol van on the corner of Martin grove rd and Langstaff." Tommy pointed it out on the map and Sam noted it was less than a block away from the house they were going to raid. "Once Gareth and Sam have recovered the stash they will signal you to drive the patrol van to the location of the house."

"You need to make sure all drugs retrieved at the scene are packed into the patrol car. Then relocated to this address." Will handed a slip of paper to Carl who looked at it, folded it and slipped it into his pocket.

"And myself and Gareth?"

"You can return to the station with 32 and I will be in touch tomorrow."

Sam sat back in his chair. This was a terrible plan. Even if he was in on this, in on the scam, it was a terrible plan. How were they supposed to transport a large stash of drugs from a basement to a waiting patrol car while surrounded by cops? How were they supposed to join a task force from another division with so little notice? Sure Sam had run with other divisions on other cases before but always with full cooperation of his staff sergeant and only after meeting the people he would be working with. Everything about this felt wrong.

Tommy rolled up the map and house plans signalling that the meeting was over.

"I need to go get my uniform," Sam said and thought of his phone and letting Luke know what was happening.

"No need," Will said. "I have one here for you. Upstairs, first room on the left."

Sam hesitated but with everyone watching him he slowly stood and went upstairs. He found a uniform hanging on the back of the door and he changed. The uniform fit perfectly, telling him that this plan was in the works for a while. Everything up until this point was a test, everything he had done had proved to them that he was willing and capable of more. And now he found himself about to dig himself way deeper than he had intended. He slipped on his bullet proof vest patted it against his chest.

He put on his belt, connected the radio to his shoulder and checked the slots for ammo. All that was missing now was a gun. He folded his clothes, and went back down stairs with them draped over his arm.

"Here, let me get you a bag." Will handed him a plastic bag and Sam put his clothes into it.

"I need a gun."

"Oh yeah of course!" Will chuckled as if he had forgotten then pulled a small hard case out from under the sink. He opened it and Sam could see a sig saur handgun resting in a bed of foam. Sam realised in an instant that he was handing it to him this way so as to not get any of his prints on it but he needed to keep face. He reached out and took the gun and clip. He checked the barrel then slipped the ammo clip into place and put the gun into its holster on his hip.

Gareth stood and walked over to him with the dog by his heels. "Don't we look the part!" he said cheerfully and Sam felt his stomach sink a little further.

* * *

Luke had been waiting for Sam's return to his flat for the last few hours and was starting to get worried. He checked his phone and his email but there was still nothing. He resisted the urge to call him knowing he could be putting Sam in a compromising position and instead just kept working.

* * *

Sam sat in the back of the police truck with 4 other officers including Gareth and the dog. He listened to the plan being outlined by the senior officer and resisted the urge to stand up and plead for a better plan of attack. But he had a role to play here and more often than not when he was UC he had to fight his instincts, though this time was stronger than most.

When they parked outside the house they hurried out of the van. Sam and Gareth raced around the back. They stood on either side of the door and waited for the signal. When it came Gareth bashed the door open then stepped aside and Sam raced in to clear the house. Other officers came through the front and within minutes they had cleared the whole house. Sam walked back downstairs to meet Gareth who had given the dog the command to start searching. They found a large chest that had been sunken into the ground. Sam Reached for the handle, pulled it open then looked down at the stash.

It was a 6ft by 4 ft wide chest that seemed to be about 2ft deep. And it was filled to the brim with cellophane bricks of cocaine. Sam looked over his shoulder but the other officers from the raid seemed to be paying them no heed. He reached for his radio and gave the signal to Carl who responded he was on the way.

* * *

After finishing her shift on Sunday evening Andy walked out of the division with Oliver. He asked her to join him in the penny but she declined. He asked her to join him for food but she also declined. She was done for the day. She wanted to go home, lie in her tub, and have a couple of glasses of wine then sleep. Sleep until it was over.

She hugged Oliver and waved goodbye to him then turned and walked home. Her flat seemed cold despite it being nearly the height of summer. She ran a bath, opened a bottle of wine and slipped in beneath the bubbles. She sipped beneath the surface and let her body soak for a moment before resurfacing and taking a deep breath. Already she could feel her tension ebbing away.

* * *

It took nearly half an hour to transport all the drugs into the patrol van. Sam carried the last brick and put it into the back then slammed the doors closed. He walked around to the driver's side and saw Carl was on the phone. Carl held up his finger for silence from Sam then continued with his call.

"Yeah, he finished the job…Gareth and the dog are just doing a last sweep in the house…okay…yep…ok yeah, consider it done, see you then."

"What's going on?" Sam asked.

"Change of plan. You come with me."

"And Gareth?"

"Yeah, Gareth too. Go grab them, I'll meet you at the front of the house."

Carl started the engine and drove the van from the back garden to the front while Sam hurried into the house and got Gareth and the dog. They all went out the front door and am climbed into the passenger seat while Gareth and the dog climbed into the back.

* * *

Luke couldn't stand it anymore. He had checked the phone and email. He had caved and rang both of Sam's numbers but there was no response. He had even gone so far as to ring Division 22 and ask for Sam but was told he was not working today.

Luke resisted the urge to call Andy to see if she had seen him but something in the pit of his stomach was churning and he felt like something was wrong. He asked Traci to stay and keep monitoring the screens then grabbed his jacket and keys and left.

* * *

Sam listened to Carl's persistent chatter as he drove. But Sam's focus was really on the road. The directions they were taking and the possible destination they were heading for. They left the city behind and Sam wondered if they were going to Wills house but thought the police van would stand out in the residential neighbourhood.

Carl started to slow down and turned off the highway heading north east towards Jacksons Point. They took a small lake side road for about 2 miles then turned into a residential property that was surrounded by large trees, secluding it from any onlookers.

Carl got out and Sam joined him at the back of the van. Sam couldn't help the fear the tickled his skin. He watched Carl closely but he seemed to be acting completely naturally laughing at some random joke he had just told. He pulled open the van door and whistled for the dog to come to his feet. The dog jumped out of the van an sat at Carl's feet then Carl pulled his gun out of its holster and shot Gareth in the leg. Sam pulled out his gun and aimed it at Carl.

"Stop!" he yelled. "Put the gun down!"

Carl chuckled. "Or what?"

"Put the gun down!"

Carl turned the gun towards Sam and Sam pulled the trigger but even though there was a shot, there was no reaction from Carl and he realised he had been given blanks.

"I think maybe you should put your gun down."

Sam felt all the air rush out of his lungs and his arms dropped to his sides. He dropped the gun and Carl waved him into the back of the van with Gareth who had dropped and was grasping at his injury.

Carl closed the van door plunging them into darkness. Sam could just make out the outside of Gareth's body so he reached over and pressed the wound making Gareth yell out in pain. There was a warm pool of blood all over the bottom of the van floor was soaking into Sam's uniform. He pulled off his vest and ripped up the bottom of his shirt to wrap around his wound then fell over backwards when the van started moving.

Sam scrambled forward and started to pat down Gareth's pockets until he found the phone he was looking for. He knew he didn't have long so he flipped it open, and dialled.

* * *

Andy rinsed her hair out and lathered the conditioner in then combed it through with a wide toothed comb. She pulled on the shower hose and washed it out then lay back into the water again and let out a long contented sigh. In her bedroom she could hear her phone ringing but she chose to ignore it. Instead she closed over her eyes and tried to relax.

Ten minutes later her phone rang again. But this time when she didn't pick up it rang again, and again until finally she couldn't take it anymore. She got out of the bath, slipped on a heavy terrycloth robe and hurried to her bedroom to catch the caller only to miss it again. She looked at the history of incoming calls and noticed one number she didn't recognise, three calls from Oliver and a single voicemail. She pressed the button to return the call and waited to Oliver to pick up.

"McNally! Thank god! Where are you?"

"I'm at home."

"Have you heard from Sam?"

"What? No!" A cold wave of fear covered her like a shroud. "What's happened Oliver?"

"I just got a call from Sam but when I picked it up, I could only hear a muffled conversation then there was gunfire and the phone went dead.

"I…um…I didn't hear from him."

"Okay Andy, I'm on my way over to your place now."

He hung up the phone and Andy stood in her bedroom staring at it. Then she scrolled through her history again and looked at the number she didn't recognise. Then scrolled to her voicemail and pressed the button to activate it.

With only a slight hesitation she lifted the phone to her ear and listened.

"McNally…Andy I need you…Help!"

His voice was whispered and rushed, he was clearly covering the mouth piece, afraid that someone else would hear their conversation then she heard the phone was dropped. There was a loud bang then she heard Sam shouting. She couldn't quite make out what he was saying but knew he was in trouble. Then as suddenly as it started, the call was finished. Andy listened to the voice mail again, and then a third time then sank onto her bed and cried.

* * *

**A/N**: Another bit of a choppy chapter but oh my! the tension!


	10. Chapter 10

Luke was parked outside Sam's flat when he got the call. He was contemplating going in but was hesitant. When his phone rang he answered it on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Luke!" Traci's voice was urgent. "We've heard from Sam. He's in trouble."

"What happened?"

"He left a voice mail on Andy's phone and got through to Oliver."

"What did he-"

"He didn't say anything!" Traci cut him off. "Oliver said the call was muffled and he heard gunfire.

"Okay, see if you can reverse trace where the calls came from. I'm at Sam's new place now I'll see if I can find anything."

"Andy and Oliver are on their way into the barn."

Luke went to the door and knocked. He announced himself and banged harder not expecting a response at all. He listened for a second longer then pulled his gun out of its holster, stepped back and kicked the door in. He cleared the downstairs then upstairs. Then really started looking. Nothing seemed to be out of place. His uniform was hanging up in the closet. His belt was there too but his gun was missing.

Luke pulled his phone out and dialled Traci again. "Hey Traci."

"What do you need?"

"Can you call the arms room at division 22 an see if Swarek's gun is locked away or if there was a requisition form for it to be taken home outside of hours?"

"On it."

Luke hung up and continued his search. He found Sam's phone on the bed side table and from watching him daily he lifted the mattress, pulled at the seam and pried it open to reach his hand inside and take out Sam's notebook. He carried it downstairs to the living room where he spied Sam's laptop on the coffee table. He gathered that too and took them both out to the car to drive back to the division.

* * *

Oliver and Andy raced into the Luke's office where Traci was on the phone. Andy started to speak but Traci held up her hand for silence and Oliver held her back.

"Yes, both police officers, they received a call from the same number approximately 23 minutes ago…ASAP. Thanks."

Traci hung up the phone and turned to Andy. She could see the tears she had already shed but chose not to make a big deal of it and instead offered her the facts she had so far.

"I've got a reverse trace on the calls happening right now, they should get back to us within the next thirty minutes. Luke is out at Sam's new flat and will be here soon."

"What's happened?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know." Traci turned back and picked up her diary of events. "We have nothing in the books for today. The last job Sam worked was Thursday and he noted in his diary that the next one he knew of was planned for Tuesday. Whatever has happened now is off the books, a surprise event."

"Who is he working with?"

Traci hesitated. She didn't know how much she was supposed to divulge. She guessed she had already crossed that line but without Luke's say so she still wasn't sure.

"I can't tell you too much details of this case."

"Nash Sam just called me. He called me on my phone. He called me for help because whatever help you and Callaghan are offering him from this warm safe office is clearly not enough!" Oliver slammed his fist down on the table as he tried to calm his anger. Traci did not need to be the brunt of his frustration. He stood up straight and covered his face with his hands then took a deep breath and walked out of the room.

"Traci…?" Andy looked at her friend and was barely able to keep it together. "What's going on?"

"I don't know Andy, I really don't know. Luke should be here soon, we should know more then."

Traci stepped over to her friend and pulled her into a hug but when they heard a scuffle outside they jumped apart and rushed to the door where they saw Luke lying on the ground with a bloody nose and Oliver standing over him, being held back by Chris and another officer.

Andy hurried over to Oliver and put a hand on his chest to calm him down. Traci bent over Luke who shook her off and stood up himself.

"If you let me explain, I've got his notebook, phone and laptop. We're running a reverse trace on the calls that came in and we should have him back very soon!"

Luke brushed past the small crowd that had gathered and slammed the door to his office closed behind him.

"Oliver!" Andy said. "What did you say?"

"Nothing…" Andy looked at him sceptically. "No really, I said nothing. I just lost it. Dammit. I should go apologise."

Andy pulled him into a tight hug and he held her tight against him. "C'mon, let's go see how we can help out."

Oliver led the way to Luke's office and knocked softly then opened the door and stepped in sheepishly. Luke was sitting at his desk working on Sam's laptop and Tracy was sitting across from him looking at the phone history.

"Luke…sorry man, I was out of line."

"Forget it."

"Really," Oliver leaned over on Luke's PC and put a hand on his arm to make him look up. "Sorry."

"It's forgotten Shaw." Luke turned his attention back to the laptop and continued to work.

"Anything I can do?"

"Talk to Nash, giver her your statements." Luke looked up at Andy. "Traci said you have a voice mail?"

Andy nodded.

"Can you email it to me?"

She nodded again and fumbled for her phone to send it to him as Traci guided them into one of the interview rooms.

"Okay guys, just go through what happened with me and take it slowly."

Oliver went first. He explained how he was at home making dinner. When his phone rang. He picked it up, but it was a blocked number. When he tried to talk he could hear Sam talking. There was a scuffle, there was shouting and there was a single gunshot. That was it. Sam tried to ring the number back but it wasn't taking calls.

Traci recorded the statement and took notes. Once she was done she asked Oliver to leave and show Andy in. Andy repeated the process. Explained how she was in the bath, ignored her phone ringing then when she finally answered it was Oliver telling her Sam was in trouble. She then listened to the voicemail.

"Can I listen to the voicemail?"

Andy expected this and had it ready to play

"McNally…Andy I need you…Help!" His voice cut through Andy again, each syllable leaving a scar on her heart

They listened to the rest of the message and Traci took notes as Andy tried to hold herself together. Once it was finished Traci turned off her recorder and reached over to put her hand over Andy's.

"We'll find him Andy. We'll find him." She came around the table and pulled Andy into a hug then opened the door and led her back to Luke's office where Oliver was now talking with Frank.

"Any news?"

"Can't seem to get a phone number for the set that rain Andy's or Oliver's phones but we have triangulated a location."

"What? How? Where?" Andy asked

"The last cell tower that picked up the signal was out in Sutton."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Oliver urged but Luke instead walked over to the map that was tacked on the wall.

"The cell towers cover a 3 mile radius, we tracked the progression of the phone through Woodbridge, then north on the 404 and cut out just before Jacksons point." He trailed his finger along the map. "The signal was lost here. But we're unsure if it's because they stopped, or the phone was dismantles."

"Does it matter?" Andy argued. "Can't we just go out there and check it out?"

"That's a 2 hour round trip to go somewhere we can't confirm."

"Sam is out there in trouble-"

"I've contacted the local office in Sutton and they are checking it out." Luke turned and made eye contact with Frank. He nodded almost imperceptibly ten sat back at the desk. Frank took the signal and ushered Oliver and Andy out of the room under protest.

"Frank we need to go looking for him."

"I know, I know but first we need to use our resources wisely. Luke said he sent a car out there to check things out." Frank led both of them into his office and closed the door after them. "I need you two to sit tight."

"Sit tight?" they both argued at the same time then looked at each other and only Oliver continued. "Sam called me looking for help. I need to be out there helping him. If it's not in my uniform or a patrol car then it will be in my civvies and in my own car."

"Shaw I need you here, I need you to sit tight, wait for instruction because when we do get the go, and believe me we will. I need you to be on our side in this."

Oliver looked deflated. He took a step back and sat into the chair but Andy was not so easily dissuaded.

"There had got to be something we can do!" she pleaded with Frank. "Please don't ask me to just sit here and wait!"

"Well actually maybe there is. Go to Sam's new flat."

"Luke already cleared it!"

"Yeah but he thinks it might have been bugged. By someone other than us I mean." Frank rummaged through his desk drawer and pulled out a file then flicked through the pages to find the one he wanted. "Here is a comprehensive list of all the equipment Luke had installed. Do a sweep and see if you find any extras. We find what they put in there, maybe it will lead us to them."

Oliver took the page and was already walking out of the Division when Andy caught up with him. He climbed into the driver's seat of his car and had the engine started by the time she got in and buckled up.

* * *

When the van stopped moving Sam braced himself against the pile of cocaine bricks behind him. Gareth had passed out and Sam had moved him to the side, and propped him up against the wall of the van. Sam felt for the handle in the van door to see if there was any way he could lock it but even as he was feeling for it the door opened. Sam didn't have too much time to think. He swung one leg out and connected with the chin on of his assailant. He jumped out after his kick and was surrounded by SWAT cops who tackled him to the ground to subdue him.

"LET ME GO!"

"Officer Swarek. Officer Swarek…calm down. We're here to help."

Sam struggled against their hold but then noticed they had taken Gareth out on a stretcher and carried him out to a waiting ambulance. By giving everything a closer look he noticed three patrol cars, two ambulances and a SWAT van. They were all parked in the driveway of a large secluded house and on the porch, about twenty yards away, Sam could make out two bodies being examined.

"Okay, okay… let me up."

Slowly the two SWAT cops that had hold of him released him and helped him up. Sam brushed down the front of his uniform and made his way over to the porch. Tommy was lying face up. A small bullet wound was in the centre of his forehead and a large pool of blood surrounded his head like a halo. Beside him, lying on his side was Carl. His bullet wound was on his temple and left a large gaping wound on the other side of his head.

"What the hell…" Sam checked the surrounding area but couldn't see any weapons. "Where is Will Manning?"

"No sign sir."

"What the hell is going on here?"

"CSI is en route. Detective Lawrence has a few questions for you and I believe a detective Callaghan is on his way."

"Oh shit… a phone, do you have a phone?"

* * *

Andy walked through the flat with wide open eyes. It felt strange to be in Sam's new flat without him. Hell it felt strange to be there at all. She reached out and touched a shirt that was discarded over the back of a chair. The soft cotton material was really inviting and she lifted it to her face and inhaled his smell. The sharp familiarity brought tears to her eyes.

Oliver was on his hands and knees in the kitchen checking for equipment. He ran his fingers underneath every surface, and was now checking beneath the table. He stilled when he heard her phone ring. She slowly walked in with the phone in her hand, almost afraid to answer it this time. Oliver scurried out of the table and came to stand by her side with a hand on her back. He nodded as she pressed the connect button and lifted the phone to her ear

"Hello?"

"Andy!"

"Sam!" she pressed the phone harder to her ear in case he disappeared. "Oh my god Sam, are you ok? Where are you?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I'm…I dunno where I am…" she heard him talking to someone standing beside him. "I'm in a house on Hedge Road about a mile east of Sutton. I'm ok."

"Oh God Sam…what happened?"

"I'm…I'm not really sure." He seemed distracted. "Look I need to go, there is a detective here I need to talk to. I just…I just wanted to call you, tell you I'm ok."

"Sam no wait, don't go!"

"Andy, I'll see you soon ok?"

He hung up the phone and she turned to look at Oliver who just pulled her into a hug and sighed.

"He's ok Andy, he's ok."

"Yeah he is."

They both smiled but when Oliver's phone rang they jumped. It was Luke's name on the ID.

"Hey!"

"I just heard from a detective in Sutton. They have Sam and he is ok."

"I know, He just called McNally."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing really, just that he was fine and he would see us soon."

"I'm on my way out there now. Did you find anything in the flat?"

"Yes actually, one pin camera in a picture frame in the living room. A microphone in the kitchen. Nothing else so far but we're not finished yet."

"Okay great, I'll let you know when we're on the way home." Luke hung up. Oliver relayed the chat to Andy and they both sat at the kitchen table. The relief had sapped a lot of their energy away and all of a sudden Andy was exhausted.

"We're nearly finished here. Let's get it all done ad go back to the barn to wait for Sam's return."

Andy nodded and went upstairs to keep looking for bugs.

* * *

Sam was sitting on the wall at the end of the garden when Luke pulled up. The ambulances had left and the SWAT team and all that remained were two patrol cars and a CSI van. Luke climbed out of his car and walked over to Sam. He sat next to him and said nothing. They both let the wind ruffle their clothes and hair and let the moment settle before either of them talked. Eventually Sam broke the silence.

"What happened your face?"

"Shaw." Luke lifted a hand up to touch his tender nose and the bruise that had covered one of his eyes.

Sam chuckled.

"What happened out here?" Luke asked.

Sam slowly shook his head. "I dunno."

"What do you mean?"

Sam broke it down for him. The planning stage at Will Manning's house. The execution. How Gareth was shot, he only had blanks then the van was moving and when it opened next they were surrounded by SWAT team. Luke chuckled when Sam spoke about kicking the swat member when they opened the van door but the humour was short lived.

"Gareth was brought to the hospital." Sam then gestured over to the porch where the CSI team was working on the bodies of Tommy and Carl. "Tommy had a GSW to the forehead, Carl had one to the temple." He showed Luke the points on his own head. "I don't know what the fuck happened."

"I sent a car round to Manning's house."

"Cleaned out?"

"Yep." Luke shook his head. "I had his accounts frozen, put out a BOLO and triggers on his passport."

"Anything back?"

"Nothing yet." Luke stood up and brushed off his pants. "I'm going over to talk to Detective Lawrence. Then I'll come bring you to the hospital."

"No I want to go home."

"Okay, just give me a few minutes then I'll take you."

Luke walked off and left Sam sitting on the wall alone.

* * *

Andy sat in the bullpen with Oliver as they tried to find a trace on the equipment they had found. They searched manufacturers, serial numbers, whole sale providers and retail sellers. They had narrowed it down to three local stores and gave the info to Traci.

She was talking with the swat teams coordinating the strike on Will Manning's property. When they came up empty handed she instructed them to sweep through the house and search for clues as to where he might be. She acquisitioned his PC to be brought into forensic IT department and was trying to contact the staff sergeant at 22.

Oliver sat next to her to offer her help as Andy said she would do a coffee run. She was standing in the canteen trying to get drinkable coffee from the machine when he found her. He walked up behind her and leaned back on the table in the middle of the room and watched her for a moment. She pressed buttons out of sequence, moved the cup in and out of the sensor and hit the side of the machine a few times but still nothing as coming out.

"God dammit…" she thumped the top of it in frustration and he chuckled.

"Still struggling to get coffee McNally?"

She whirled around and saw him standing there so casually she wasn't sure if he was really there until he stood up straight, took a step closer to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Oh my god…" she snaked her arms around him, circled one around his waist and the other up his back to pull him as close as humanly possible. "You're ok!"

"I'm fine, Andy, I'm fine."

"I thought…"

"I know. Shhhhh, I'm fine."

"You scared me." He felt her grip loosen but she didn't release him completely.

"I know. I'm sorry." She was trembling in his arms and he wanted nothing more than to just pull her in tight again.

"What happened?"

"I…I dunno." She let him go a little bit more and it killed him to release her. "I thought, I thought they were going to kill me." She let her hands trail down his arms and interlocked their fingers tightly. "But when the door opened…it was the SWAT team."

"What?"

"I dunno Andy, I dunno."

Before he could explain further they both heard a soft cough at the door and turned to see Luke standing there, looking at everything in the room except them. Andy tried to let go of his hands but he held onto her tighter.

"Swarek, Best needs you in interrogation room 1 for report."

"Okay I'll be right there." he turned his attention back to Andy and looked into her eyes. He waited until he heard Luke's footsteps fade then he bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I know the chivalrous thing to do would be to tell you to go home, tell you to get some rest, and say I would call you in the morning. And even though I know I could be here for a few hours more I want nothing more than to see you when I'm done."

"I'll be here." She smiled and he kissed her again. He stood away from her, kept hold of one of her hands as he walked away and only let it go when he could no longer reach. He looked back over his shoulder at her and smiled tiredly.

* * *

Gareth came to in the ICU ward at Toronto General. His left leg was in traction and both of his hands were cuffed to the bed. He struggled against the constraints alerting the waiting officer that he was awake. A nurse came racing in and helped to calm him down. She checked his vitals and administered more pain killers.

"Okay sir, do you know where you are?"

"Hospital."

"Do you know your name?"

"Gareth Pollock. What's going on? Why am I cuffed to this bed?"

The nurse looked over her shoulder at the cop that stood at the end of the bed sheepishly looking at his feet as if nervous and afraid to make eye contact.

"Officer you are under investigation. IA has instructed me to keep you immobilised."

"Immobilised?" Gareth pointed at his leg. "I was fucking shot in the leg, I'm in traction! How much more immobile can I get?!"

The nurse walked out of the room leaving them alone and only then did the cop step forward and take off his hat. Gareth looked up the anger in his face quickly diving into fear. The officer that stood before him in coppers uniform was Will Manning.

Will reached out and grasped the pain switch on Gareth's IV. He disabled the limit and increased the discharge and within moments Gareth was groggy with the dosage. Will pulled over a wheel chair and unlocked the cuffs then hefted him onto the chair. He covered him with a blanket and wheeled him out of the hospital.

* * *

It was nearly three hours before Sam was finished the debriefing with Frank and Luke. He went to the canteen where he had left Andy but she wasn't there. He checked the smaller coffee room, the ladies lockers, Luke's office and the bullpen. But he couldn't find her. He had resigned himself to the fact the she had left and decided to shower himself and leave. But as he was walking towards the locker room he turned at the sound of Traci calling out his name.

"Hey!" she hurried over to him and embraced him in a tight hug. "Great to have you back!"

"Thanks."

"Sorry they had to keep you in so late. You must be exhausted."

"Yeah, pretty shattered." He was talking to her but she could tell he was looking for someone else.

"She is in the family room." Tracy said as she patted his shoulder. She didn't need to clarify who she was talking about. They both knew.

He smiled and walked over to the family room. A small, homely decorated room where they spoke with family of people involved with investigations. There was a couch, a small coffee table an overstuffed arm chair and a collection of plastic plants designed to ease the mind and calm the fears of anybody inside. And they seemed to be working Sam realised when he spotted Andy curled up on the couch, using her coat as a blanket, asleep.

He crept over to her and crouched low by her head. Some hair had fallen over her face and he stroked it out of the way. She stirred at his touch and rolled towards him. Her eyes fluttered open and a smile crept across her lips at the very sight of him.

"Hey…you waited."

"Yeah, I told you I would."

"Sorry for keeping you so long."

"What time is it?" her voice was low and sleepy and it made him want to kiss her so he could taste her sleepiness.

"Twenty past two in the morning."

She was blinking rapidly now, as if she wanted to wake up but he wanted to keep her sleepy, wanted to keep her in that nether world between being asleep and being awake, that world where anything could happen.

He reached his hand out to her shoulder and squeezed it gently. She uncurled her body and shuffled back into the couch and pulled on his arm. He climbed onto the couch next to her. She was higher on the couch than he, her head on the arm rest and he rested his head on her chest. He curled his arms around her body and pulled her tight against him. She held his head against her, combed her fingers through his hair and let the other one rest on his hip.

Slowly his body started to relax, his breathing slowed and regulated. She kissed the top of his head and let her own eyes close over and soon they were both asleep. It felt like only a second but was actually an hour before they were woken up.

Luke opened the door of the family room and halted at the sighted before him. He tried to dampen down the surprise he felt when he knew all along something was happening between them. But guessing was one thing. Being confronted with it head on was another.

"Swarek….Swarek! Get up." Sam stirred but he seemed only to hold onto her tighter rather than respond to Luke's voice. "Hey, Swarek get up, we have to get you out of here."

Andy was the first to wake fully. She looked over Sam's head at Luke who was standing uncomfortably in the room staring at both of them, his hands on his hips. She shook Sam to wake him and he looked up to kiss her, stopping only when he saw her face. He turned to see Luke and smiled, having the good sense to look a little embarrassed.

He rolled off the couch and stood up shakily, his limbs finally ready to give up.

"What's up Callaghan?"

"Gareth Pollock has gone missing."

"What?" Sam was all of a sudden all business. "What do you mean?"

"He came out of sedation from his surgery. The nurse checked his vitals. She went out of the room to log it then when she returned twenty minutes later he was gone. So was the cop we had watching him."

"Where is he?"

"He was cuffed to the bed, so we thought the cop that was with him helped him out. But he has since been located in the staff locker room. One GSW to the head."

"Jesus Callaghan, don't you think that's maybe something you should lead with."

"Well I would have…but you seemed pretty sleepy. Wanted to make sure you were awake." Sam grimaced at him. "Anyway, Frank has ordered you to be put into protective custody."

"What's more protective than a cop shop?"

"Frank said you need to be moved to a safe house."

"What?" Sam barged past Luke and made his way to Frank's office with Luke and Andy in tow. "Frank what's goin on?"

"Sam don't even bother trying to argue with me."

"Frank I don't need to go anywhere. I can stay here!"

"Sam I said don bother. The decision has been made. Go with Callaghan now."

"Frank!"

"Leave it Swarek. That's the end of it."

Sam stared at him for a moment more then turned on his heel and walked out of the office. He brushed past Luke with a heavy shoulder. "Okay if I take a shower first boss?" he called out as he made his way to the men's locker room.

In his locker he had strategically left a change of clothes. He showered as fast as he could then dried himself off and dressed. He walked out to the bullpen where Luke was speaking with Oliver. Andy was sitting next to them but clearly not involved in the conversation at all. She was the first to notice Sam had retuned and she stood and met him half walk with a hug.

"Ready?" Luke asked.

Sam simply nodded. Oliver stood and hugged him with a heavy pat on the back.

"Stay safe out there brother."

Andy walked with them out to the car, holding onto Sam's hand so tightly he wondered if it would have pins and needles when she let go. Luke climbed into the driver's seat as Sam opened the passenger door.

"I wish I could go with you," she whispered.

He lifted her to head to look at him with one finger under her chin. "I wish you could too."

"Please be safe."

"I will, I'll be fine."

Andy nodded. He leaned down and kissed her softly. She reached up and locked her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss but before it could get too heated, Luke pressed on the cars horn and they parted lips.

"See you soon, McNally."

She nodded. He planted another quick kiss on her lips then climbed into the car and closed the door. Luke drove off before their goodbye could be elongated any further.

* * *

**A/N**: What!? What the hell is going on here! Just when you all thought it was going to be revealed, BOOM! Left hook into the readers solar plexus! hope you don't mind the red herring. Things are about to get hella interesting. (I_ especially_ cant wait to write more Sam / Luke dialogue!)


	11. Chapter 11

Will Manning sat back in a comfy lounge chair and reached down the outside to pet the dog that was sitting beside him. In his other hand he had a near empty bottle of beer so he finished it, tossed it over his shoulder, waited for the satisfying smash against the wall then leaned forward and took another bottle out of the mini fridge in front of him. He twisted off the cap and took a long sip then returned to his relaxed position and petted the dog again.

Across the room Gareth was sitting in his wheel chair. He was still groggy from the drugs. His head was hanging down, his chin was on his chest but will could tell he was about to wake up. He leaned forward to wait for the exact moment Gareth would realise where he was, and he wasn't disappointed.

Gareth lifted his head but it fell to the side. He opened his eyes and tried to focus. Now that the pain killers had worn off enough to let him wake he felt nothing but pain in his leg where he had been shot. He rolled his head forward and blinked rapidly to focus on the blurry image before him. Finally when he could see he grimaced at the sight of Will Manning leaning forward on a chair across from him.

"Morning Gareth!" he said jovially as he lifted his beer towards him in a macabre salute.

"Manning…what the fuck." Pain was racing up from his toes to his spine and he was finding it hard to concentrate.

"I know."

"What?"

"I know." Manning sipped his beer again. "I know about you and Swarek."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Gareth tried to move his leg into a more comfortable position but only succeeded in making it worse. He howled out in pain but it only made Will smile.

"You and Swarek were working undercover."

"What? You're fucking mad!"

"Am I?"

"Yeah! Will I've been working in 42 for fifteen years, I've been working with you for eight of those years! And now you think I've turned?"

Will stared at him for a minute then laughed. "Gareth don't try denying it." Will stood up, pulled a flick knife out of his pocket and flipped it open. He stood at Gareth's outstretched foot and trailed the knife blade up his bandaged leg. "I heard the transmissions." Will lifted the blade to his head and pressed it into his temple. "I heard what you said to your CO."

"What? Will…I promised you, I'm not undercover."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" Will roared and he plunged the knife down into Gareth's leg. "I heard you, and I heard Swarek, Tommy and Carl."

Gareth screamed out in pain. He grabbed his leg and tried to bat Will away but it was no use. Will went round to the back of the wheel chair and grabbed Gareth in a sleeper head lock. He pulled tighter and tighter until finally Gareth stopped struggling. Will took hold of the wheelchair and moved him through the house to the back rooms where he had a cell set up. He tipped Gareth off the chair then walked back out and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Luke parked outside the safe house and killed the engine. He was surprised when Sam had fallen asleep on the journey but realised he had been through quite a lot over the last few days and was probably exhausted. Luke went to the trunk and lifted out a bag and carried it into the house. He came back out to the car and knocked on the passenger window.

"Wake up Sam, I ain't carrying you in."

Sam jerked awake and took a minute to realise where he was and when it all came flooding back he groaned and rubbed his face with his hands then followed Luke into the house. It was a small terraced house on a quiet urban street just outside the city.

It was homely inside with soft furnishings but felt more like an open house than a home from the lack of personal touches, no pictures, no belongings, just generic furniture pieces. Sam walked around and found one small bathroom, one bedroom and a spacious kitchen living room combo.

"One bedroom Callaghan? I hope you didn't have anything funny planned."

Luke ignored the jibe and instead set up his laptop. Sam opened the fridge but found it empty.

"There is no food."

"It's three AM Swarek. Go to bed. Nash will be here in the morning with food."

"Remind me again why I need to be here?"

"Two suspects were shot dead. Another one is missing and a forth is probably responsible for it all. Frank ordered you into protective custody until it's resolved."

"Until it's resolved?" Sam who was walking towards the bedroom turned back to Luke. "Are you kidding? This investigation could take weeks! You expect me to stay here all that time?"

"That's the very definition of protective custody."

"And you are my protector?"

"For now."

"This is ridiculous-"

"Yeah sorry to inconvenience you while I try to keep you safe."

"Keep me safe? From what?!"

"Oh give it a rest Swarek." Luke turned and stood to face Sam. "You are just pissed off because I too you away from McNally."

"What?"

"You heard."

"Is that what's happening here?" Sam stepped forward.

"No, of course not." Luke waved him off and turned back to his PC with a scoff. "The fact that you are sleeping together has no impact on my life."

"Oh my god…that's it isn't it." Sam laughed but it wasn't a jovial laugh it was more manic.

"Get a grip Sam, I've better things to do."

"Really?"

"Go to bed Sam. You are clearly delirious," Sam threw at him over his shoulder.

Sam wanted to argue. He wanted to go back to the barn, work on the case, look through the files, listen to the tapes, hold her hand and kiss her palm…

He looked up at Luke to see if he noticed his change of thoughts but Luke was working on his PC and not paying Sam any attention. Sam decided to walk away. Come back to this fight when he had the brain power to compete.

Sam stripped and crawled between the seats and within moments he was asleep.

Luke worked through the night on the case files. He tried to nap on the couch but his brain was firing on all cylinders and he ended up sitting upon his laptop again and trying to follow more leads. He hated this part of the job. Sifting through darkness like a blind man. All leads were cold and dead, they were all but lying in wait for Manning to strike and this was a feeling he hated. He always wanted to have the upper hand and this felt more like hiding in the bushes.

He looked at his watch and realised Traci would be here any minute. He stood and walked over to the sink, and rinsed some cold water over his face. Then as if his thoughts alone had summoned her Traci came in with bags of food.

"Oh thank god!"

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing. Not a thing." Luke went over to the couch and grabbed his coat. "'Are you okay here for a few hours? I need to go home and get some sleep before I stab someone in the face."

"Yeah sure, whatever you need." Luke was distracted in his hurry to get out. He waved at her and left with a slam on the front door.

Traci whistled low and proceeded to put the groceries away. She listened for a moment to see if Sam was awake but he wasn't. She went to the laptop Luke had vacated and started to catch up on the updates he had left overnight.

She was sitting at the laptop eating a slice of toast when there was a soft knock on the door. Traci paused, the toast hovering by her mouth and listened. When she heard the knock again she took her gun out of its holster and slowly walked towards the door. The frosted glass in the door distorted her view of whomever was standing on the other side. It was one person, small and definitely feminine.

Traci stood to the side of the door and opened it slowly then felt her jaw drop at the sight of Andy standing there.

"Andy?!" Traci grabbed her arm and yanked her into the house. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I, um, I followed you."

"Jesus Andy!" Traci holstered her gun. And pulled Andy into the living room. "Are you mad? This is a safe house, you can't just turn up here!"

"I know Trace, I know I'm an idiot!"

"I just had to see him!"

"You can see him when all this is done."

"No, Traci please! Just give me a few minutes, I just need to know he's ok!"

"He's fine. He's sleeping. And you need to leave."

"Can I just see him? Please?"

Traci felt her resolve crumbling. She saw the desperation in her friends face and knew she would have a tougher time of getting rid of her if she didn't let him see.

"Okay, okay fine." Traci looked over at the PC. "I just got an email from the CSI Lab about a report they want me to pick up." She looked at her watch. "It will take me about 40mins to get there and back." She grabbed her coat and slipped it on. "When I get back I'm kicking you out and you are going to forget you were ever here."

"Okay!" Andy hugged her friend and locked the door after her. She went straight for the bedroom and found a trail of clothing leading up to the bed where Sam was lying on his front, his limbs spread-eagled. There was a duvet covering his midriff, his hair was tousled and his mouth was open as he snored softly. She didn't hesitate. She pulled off her top and unzipped her jeans. She left on her bra and panties and lifted the duvet to crawl into bed beside him. He didn't even move.

She lifted his arm and slid beneath it, then reached her arm over his back and drew soft circles onto his warm skin. Sam stirred. He rolled over onto his side and pulled her into his arms. HE didn't seem to wake fully until he had her secure against him.

Slowly his eyes opened, as if he was afraid it would turn out to be a pillow he was hugging. When she was still there, and even moved her lips to kiss the top of his nose Sam smiled. And in the next second he sat bolt upright in the bed and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Andy! What the hell are you doing here?" he said when he turned back to her. She sat up, let the duvet fall from around her to expose her breasts then pulled him by his shoulders to lie back down.

"Shhh…I just needed to see you."

"You shouldn't be here," he said but even as his words warded her off his arms pulled her in closer.

"I know."

"You'll get into a lot of trouble."

"I know." She lifted her head to kiss his lips softly, angel kisses that wouldn't wake a baby. "So, if I am gonna get in trouble for this, at least make it worth my while."

She pushed his shoulders so he rolled onto his back with a laugh then she followed him and threw one of her legs over him to straddle his hips. His hands came to hold her in place, and he sat up so he could reach her face. He kissed her hungrily. One hand cupped her ass, the other stroked her spine causing her to roll her crotch against his and making him gasp.

"How long did you say we have?" he whispered against her neck

"About thirty minutes."

"Loads of time." He laughed as his tongue dove into the crevice of her breasts. She reached behind her back to unclasp her bra and threw it over her shoulder. He grasped one of her breasts and kissed it tenderly, dragged his tongue over her nipple then did the same with her other breasts. She arched her back, to push her breasts into him and he lifted his hips to push his erection into her. When she gasped she bit her lip and rolled her hips against him again.

"We shouldn't be doing this…" he said as both of his hands trailed burning lines from her shoulders to her ass.

"I want you…"

"What…want me to what?" he smiled as his tongue flicked her nipple in short sharp strokes.

"Oh…" she moaned. "I want you…"

"Tell me…" He lifted his hips again and her knees squeezed him tight in place.

"Now, I want you now, inside me, god, now!"

She kneeled up off him and he helped her tug her panties down then to his surprise she crawled off him and kneeled on the mattress next to him. She leaned down on her forearms and lifted her ass in the air. She turned to look back at him with a wicked smile and it was all the encouragement he needed.

He knelt up behind her, leaned over her and reached around to fondle her breasts, let his hands trail down her stomach to her crotch and with one hand holding her hips against him, he slipped his fingers in to her wet folds and couldn't help but moan at how wet she was.

"God dammit Andy…" He kissed her back, trailed his tongue down her spine to the top of her ass, then knelt up, grabbed her hips with one hand, held himself with the other and guided himself to her entrance. He moved the tip of his cock along her crotch. She tried to push back to capture him but he held her still, made her wait then when she whimpered again he pushed his hips, clenched his ass and buried his cock deep inside her.

She let out a breathy elongated moan as he stroked out of her and pushed back in. He kept a slow steady rhythm that made a sweat break out on his lower back, his forehead and his arms. But this felt too good to let it finish too soon, no matter how much he wanted to just pound into her. No matter how much she was trying to encourage him to pound into her. She clenched herself around him when he was buried to the hilt, pushed herself back into him whenever he loosened his grip enough to allow it.

"Wait Andy," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Wait for me…"

"Keep up old man!" she said with a laugh and he almost lost it at the sensation that rattled through his body.

She lowered her body more and lifted her hips higher and he had no choice but to speed up. She grabbed the headboard to counter his movements and when she became a steadier target he moved one of his hands from his hips, to reach around to her front and find that one spot he knew would make her gasp.

He wasn't disappointed as she started to lose the rhythm, telling him she was close. Telling him he didn't have much longer. He watched her hair swing back and forth, looked at the side of her breasts as they bounced against the bed, squeezed her clitoris between his thumb and forefinger then looked down at his own cock pumping in an out of her and he was done. He moved his fingers faster, squeezed her hip tighter, and pumped into her two more times.

She was panting loudly, vocally, gripping the sheets in tight fists trying her best to counter his movements but she couldn't hold on an when she felt his cock twitching inside her she gave up and fell over the edge with him.

He moaned and grunted at the sensation of her inner walls milking his cock and it was all he could do to stay upright. When she dropped onto the mattress he fell with her but landed beside her, one leg and one arm slung over her.

"This is such a terrible idea." He said, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"Shut up."

"Seriously Andy, you can't be here."

"I know. I just…" she rolled over onto her side to face him and he did the same. "I had to see you. Make sure you were ok."

Sam chuckled. "I'm fine Andy. As you can tell."

"Yeah." She smiled.

"I thought…" he looked away from her for a moment and loosened his grip. "I thought you were going to be mad at me."

"Oh I was. Wait, correction. I am." She slapped his shoulder. "You have no idea what I went through."

"I know I shouldn't have…invited you over that night."

"Why did you?"

Sam shrugged. "I didn't want to go into a UC mission without…without saying goodbye."

"Goodbye?" she propped herself up on one elbow to look down at him. "Sam you asked me round for dinner, we slept together, and all of a sudden you are being arrested for fraud and were working in a new division."

"I know, I know how it looks."

She looked at his face and saw the pain of his arrest written all over it. "I know it was tough for you. I know you would have told me if you could have."

"I wanted nothing more than to tell you."

"Maybe this isn't the best place for this conversation." She looked around the room. "Imagine how many WitSec people have slept in this bed."

"Oh god Andy!" He laughed. "Why would you say that? Talk about a mood killer."

"Mood killer? Are you saying you are ready to go again?"

"Maybe…" he reached for her and pulled her in to a hungry kiss.

"Wait…I need a drink." She climbed out of the bed and pulled his tee off the floor to wear as she hurried out to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. She stretched to grab a glass off the high shelf and turned to fill it with water only to be hit over the head with something.

Sam lay on his back in the bed with his feet crossed at the ankles and his hands resting on his cheat. When he heard the glass drop in the kitchen he waited for her to call out she was okay but instead he was met with only silence.

"Andy? Everything ok?" he waited for her response but still there was nothing.

Sam climbed out of the bed and pulled on his jeans to walk out into the kitchen. As he turned the corner and saw her lying on the floor a heavy flow of blood falling from a wound on her forehead. There was shattered glass around her body from the broken glass and as he bent down to check her out he felt a prick on his leg. He turned to see Will Manning pull a syringe out of his leg after depressing all medication into it. Sam tried to stand up but his leg was already dead and he was already losing focus. He turned back to Andy and tried to reach out to her but he was rapidly losing consciousness and soon, everything went black.

* * *

Sam folded the newspaper he was reading and looked over at Andy on the other side of the couch reading her book. Her feet were tucked in beside him against the back of the couch. He reached down and picked one up and slowly started to massage it. She bent the book towards her chest to see over it and smiled.

"Finished your paper?"

"Yeah."

"'bout time!" she tossed her book to the floor and crawled up the couch to lie on his chest so she could kiss him. "Thought you were going to be reading that dammed thing all day!"

She squirmed her hips against him and he smiled as she kissed him again. Her hands started to unbutton his shirt and she kissed the top of his chest. He reached out and pulled off her hair tie, then brushed his fingers through her hair.

She leaned up and licked his cheek, his jaw and his chin then without warning stuck her tongue in his mouth, causing Sam to sit up and start coughing. He woke with a large Alsatian dog sitting on his chest, panting happily, his tongue lolling out of his mouth after clearly licking his face.

"God dammit…" he pushed the dog off his chest and sat up fully as he wiped his face free of the dog drool with the back of his hands.

* * *

**A/N**: And now we have come full circle! Gratuitous smut here for you guys! It was all a little "dry" so I think it was needed. :D


	12. Chapter 12

Traci opened the door while she was looking down at the report in her hands. She closed the door hard behind her in the hopes that whatever was going on would stop. She went over to the laptop to check if Luke had been in touch then put the file on the table and turned to the kitchen to boil the kettle. That's when she saw Andy.

The blood had stopped pouring from the wound on her head but had already pooled an alarming size around her. Traci raced over to her and checked her vitals. "Andy!" she said as she rolled her carefully on to her back. She could feel Andy's pulse, and her breathing was steady but shallow. She slapped her cheeks with the back of her hands and shook her to wake her. Then called out for Sam but was met with only silence.

"Hang on Andy…I'll be right back." Traci pulled her gun from its holster and hurried down to the bedroom but found it empty. She cleared the rest of the flat then went back to the comms station and picked up the radio. "Officer down, 23 Wilshire Rd, assistance required immediately."

She returned to Andy's side as she started to wake up. "Hey!" Traci tried to stop her from moving. "Hold still Andy, don't move!"

"What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me?"

"Sam…where is Sam?"

"Lie still Andy."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know…"

Andy lifted a hand up to her head but Traci grabbed her wrist to stop her from touching the wound. "No Andy, don't touch it. Help is on the way!"

It seemed only then that Andy noticed her state of undress. She brushed Traci's hands aside and sat up. She held her head for a few moments then shakily got up on all fours, then onto her knees then slowly she stood up. Traci held her arm and helped her walk for a few steps then Andy shrugged her away then went into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. She knew she didn't have much time to dress before the police were here. Her head was pounding and she was finding it hard to concentrate. She pulled on her jeans, tugged Sam's shirt off over her head then put on her bra and put his shirt back on. Then covered it with her own shirt. She sat on the bed to put on her shoes and socks then took a few deep breaths and stood up again.

She was shaky on her feet but made it back to the living room without falling over. She got to the couch and sat with a sigh just as the door opened and Luke came charging in, surrounded by two patrol officers and an EMT.

"What happened?" He said as he walked over to the comms station and only then seemed to notice Andy. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Andy couldn't focus on him and instead let her head loll back onto the couch. The EMT hurried over to her to check her out.

"What the hell happened here?!" Luke demanded to know as he turned to Traci for answers.

"I…I don't know."

"Were you not here?"

"I stepped out for a minute, I got a report from the CDI lab and I went round to pick it up."

"What?" Luke ran his fingers through his hair. "Couldn't they have emailed them to you?"

"Luke they called and said they were complete. Sam was asleep, and Andy…"

"What the hell is she doing here?" He looked over at Andy who was still being treated by the EMT.

"She came by to help me out."

"If you needed help Traci you should have called me."

"It's my fault!" Andy pushed the EMT aside and sat up. "I came here about an hour ago, without telling Traci."

"No prizes for guessing why you were here."

"Is that what's important right now?" Andy said as she tried to sit up but she didn't have the wherewithal to finish the motion and instead sat back.

"Well it's a pretty fucking big part of it!" Luke went to the comms station and accessed the online monitoring application. He scanned through the files and found the one time stamped at the time Andy stated she arrived. He watched her come in and argue with Traci. He had the sound muted and ran it at double speed.

"This place is bugged?" Traci said surprised and she glanced over at Andy who was getting butterfly stitches added to her wound.

"It's a safe house Nash, of course it's under surveillance."

He watched the video as Traci left the house and Andy went back to the bedroom. He thought about changing the video to the other camera in the bedroom but he didn't think he would be able to hold his temper together if he watched what he already knew was on that file. He sped up the living room file again and watched as a shadow crossed the room at the bottom of the frame then when Andy came into shot from the bedroom wearing only a tee.

He looked over at Andy who was watching him without flinching. He turned back to the screens and watched as the assailant came onto the screen, waited for Andy to turn then smacked her across the head with a crowbar. Andy dropped and the assailant stepped back out of frame. Luke's guess was to wait for Sam to appear. And only a moment later he did. Wearing only a pair of jeans he came into the room, spotted Andy, hurried over to her and was attacked.

They watched as Sam was carried out. Luke changed the camera to the external on but it only showed the figure pulling Sam into the trunk of a car and driving off. Luke rewound the tape and slowed it so he could play it frame by frame. He tried to get a good angle to see the assailants face but there was nothing when he was carrying Sam. He rewound it further and watched as Andy walked in again from the bedroom.

Luke paused it again and again watched it frame by frame until he found the shot he was looking for.

"There...Will Manning." Luke pointed out the face and tapped the screen with two fingers. "That's Will fucking Manning!"

"How did he know about this place?"

"He could have followed someone here." Luke said harshly as he turned on his chair to face Andy. She had the good sense to look down and avoid his eyes as fresh tears fell down her cheeks. "Or it could be that he has fingers in every division, corrupt cops are everywhere."

"Can you use any info on the car?"

Luke turned his attention back to the video file and checked for the vehicle. Just as the trunk was slammed down on Sam Luke paused the screen then moved it forward slowly until Manning moved out of frame and then they could see it.

"There…BFEJ681," he called out.

"On it." Traci was already on the radio as she called a BOLO out on the license plate. Then contacted dispatch for more info on the car.

Meanwhile Luke went over to sit next to Andy. The EMT had finished working on her and was trying to usher her out to the ambulance but Andy bushed him away.

"How are you?" he brushed her hair aside to see the angry looking wound that was nestled along her hairline.

"I'm fine."

"Did you notice anyone following you when you came here?"

"No."

"Did you see anyone hanging around outside when you got here?"

"No."

"Did you see that black car in the neighbourhood?"

"No."

"Andy…what the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I just needed to see him."

"You know you are now under suspension."

"I know, I know I am in major trouble, I know I shouldn't have done this but I did, and there is nothing I can do about it now. So let's just move on and tell me how I can help out."

"You can go home. Or to the hospital. Whatever the EMT says you need to do."

"Luke…" She reached out to his arm but he shrugged her off and stood up.

"Andy. Go home. Before you do any more damage."

He looked at her with nothing but disdain in his eyes then turned away and sat with Traci at the comms station. Andy watched them for a few moments then got up and left.

* * *

Sam lay on the bed with the dog on the floor beside him. His hand hung over the side of his bed and idly scratched behind the dog's ears. Gareth was in and out of consciousness and at this very moment Sam was thankful for him being passed out because it meant he wasn't moaning in pain. Sam looked over at his wound. His leg was bruised and red, there was blood staining on the bandages and sheets and the last time he checked he had no movement below the knee.

Sam closed his eyes and rolled over on his bed to face the wall. The dog whimpered at the loss of contact and tried to nudge Sam into rubbing him again but Sam was trying to refocus his thoughts. Trying to ignore his surroundings. The hard springed bed, the threadbare itchy blanket, flat pillow and lack of length. The cell was dull now and he could barely see his hand in front of his face but he liked this darkness. In this light he could imagine he was anywhere. Anywhere but here.

He thought about her flat. Thought about lying on her couch, on her bed, with her. Thought about holding her close, cuddling with her, laughter and pillow talk they could share and it pained him to think he might not get the chance.

The sound of footsteps approaching prickled the hair on his neck and Sam sat up immediately on edge. The footsteps got closer, they stopped outside the door to the cell and he heard the lock being moved. Sam stood, crossed the cell away from the door and pressed his back to the wall.

When the door opened he saw a shadow standing behind a light that shone into the room.

"Well," Will spoke softly as he came into the cell. "It's been fun."

Before Sam could react there was a loud bang and a flash from the muzzle of a gun. Will shot Gareth in the top of the head. It was a mortal wound that made Sam grimace and fear for his life. He couldn't make out if Will was pointing the gun at him or not because of the bright light but he wasn't going to die cowering in the corner. Sam pressed his hands flat against the wall then used them to propel him across the cell to crash into Will. The torch when flying and smashed off the ground, where the bulb broke and plunged them into utter darkness.

They both grappled with the gun. Sam had tackled will to the ground and was holding him around the waist as they fell to the ground. Will thumped Sam on the back but Sam held onto Will's other hand that held the gun. He pulled it down, tried to get hold of the trigger, tried to point it away from himself. Will was laughing manically throughout the whole ordeal.

Sam lifted his leg to connect with Will's torso but before he could capitalise on it Will pulled the trigger and the gun fired, the muzzle flashed and they both reeled from the sound.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the short chapter guys. Sorry for the cliffhanger :D In theory should be able to finish this off tomorrow with a bumper finale chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**: Sorry this isn't the finale bumped episode I promised you guys. Just another short chapter and another cliffhanger. But we're almost there.

* * *

Andy left the safe house at speed and ran down the street. She wasn't sure which direction she was going but she knew she was just leaving, running, Away from him, closer to him, she didn't know. She just needed to run. Her head was spinning blood pumping furiously through her body causing loud bangs of pain to explode behind her temples.

When her limbs couldn't carry her any more she slowed down and eventually stopped. She leaned against a brick wall, palms flat against the rough surface as her lungs struggled to give her the air she needed. She let her head lean against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Sam." She muttered the words under her breath, the sound meant only for her as if uttering his name could conjure him up before her. But when she turned to press her back against the wall and opened her eyes, she saw she was still alone. "Where are you?"

She stood up and looked around to get her surroundings and realised she was only 2 blocks away from Division 15. She turned towards it, the 2nd home she had known for the last two years and hurried towards it. She entered through the garage and went straight to her desk.

She pulled up the license registry and entered the number she heard at the house earlier. "BFEJ681…" she muttered as she typed. And waited for the results to appear.

"I should have known you wouldn't go home." Andy whirled around on her seat to see Luke standing behind her. "Get out of here McNally," he threw over his shoulder as he walked away and went to his office but she wasn't about to let the matter drop. She followed him and met him at his desk, grabbed his arm and forced him to turn to face her.

"Luke, stop wasting time getting angry at me, Sam is missing!"

"I know!" He tried to shake her off but she held on tighter. "I have every officer in this division looking for him. I have three van loads canvasing the area, I have eight road blocks pulling up traffic on a Sunday across the city, I'm fielding calls from the mayor for that one. I have a CSI team out at the house, and another working on imagery and forensic accountancy to see if Manning has any locations he might be using to hold Sam and I have another group of officers watching traffic cameras, toll bridges and city wide CCTV footage for any glimpses of that black car to see if we can't trace him." He locked his eyes with hers as he spoke and his voice became louder with each passing word. When he was through her grip on his arm had loosened and she led her hands fall to her sides.

"And through all this, I have you in here, badgering me, testing my patience and disobeying orders. You can't be here right now McNally. Go home."

"I…I just…I just wanted-"

"To get laid, yeah I got that part already." Luke turned away and sat at his computer, his back to her.

"To help. I just wanted to help."

"Well you can't."

He didn't even look at her when he spoke. She wanted to argue but she knew he was right, she knew she was in the way so she backed out of the room. She let the tears fall from her eyes without even trying to stop them and ran out of the building through the garage.

Once out in the fresh air she couldn't hold it all in, she lost what little hold she had on her emotions and they came flooding out in an overwhelming wave of despair that pulled all the blood from her head. The ground spun around her, she reached out to save herself from falling but there was nothing she could do to prevent it as she plunged into darkness and crumpled to the ground.

"I got something!" Traci came running across the bullpen and charged into Luke's office waving a piece of paper. "Shoe prints in the carpet in the living room. Will Manning!"

"We already know we're looking for Will Manning."

"No, the shoe prints were hit and they were dusty or some clay was left in the impression."

"You're gonna have to speed this up Nash."

"Calcium-silicate residue. It's a compound found in bricks that were used during the industrial era construction-"

"Nash! Jesus, what have you got?"

"Before Manning was at the house he was at the old brick factory in Rosedale."

"How do you know?" He took the sheet she proffered at him and tried to read it but it was all graphs and chemical information.

"Well as I was saying before, the calcium-silicate compound was used in the industrial era for making bricks, but it hasn't been used in about 200 years and the brick factory, the now abandoned brick factory was used about 15 years ago, just before the factory shut down, to recreate the bricks for a restoration of the McKinley building on Davenport Road."

"And it's the only one?"

"Yep. It was the only one in the province that had access to the moulds."

"Brilliant!" He stood up and was already grabbing his jacket. "Let's roll."

"I have the vans in the garage getting ready."

They both walked through the bullpen and joined in the preparations with the SWAT team. AS he pulled on his bullet proof vest and fastened it in place Traci did the same. He checked his gun, checked he had spare ammo and grabbed a cap and brushed his hair back before putting it on his head. He hurried out to his car and Traci climbed into the passenger seat. He checked that the vans were ready to follow, then placed the light on the roof and sped out of the car park.

"How is McNally doing?" he asked his eyes focused on the road and his hands gripping the wheel with white knuckle ferocity.

"She's ok. She is at Toronto General."

Luke sighed. "I was pretty hard on her." Traci said nothing and didn't even glance over at him. "I didn't mean for her to…"

"She had a head injury Luke. Having a fight with you didn't make her collapse."

"Maybe not, but it didn't help."

"She's fine Luke."

Luke slowly nodded his head and focused on the task at hand.

* * *

The brick factory had a large driveway and Luke knew that their presence would be announced long before they got the chance to raid the building. Traci had been checking out the plans on the drive over, and conversing with the SWAT teams through walkie talkies. She had figured out the only viable place that Sam could be held and had instructed the SWAT teams where they needed to enter.

They pulled up outside the factory, the tyres kicking up clouds of dust as they came to a sudden stop. They swarmed out of their vehicles, and charged into the building. They cleared the rooms as they went, working in pairs and calling out commands as they did.

Sam flinched at the sound of the gun and waited for the wave of pain but it never came. All he fest was a warm pooling sensation around his torso where he was lying on Will. Sam scrambled off him and looked down at his belly and pulled at his shirt to double check but there were no wounds. He looked at Will and saw the blood leaking from the gunshot wound on the side of his torso. Sam pressed his hands over the wound and tried to stop the bleeding. He pulled off his shirt and pressed it to the wound.

Will rolled his head over and watched Sam scramble to save his life. He tried to take a breath but ended up coughing, spitting blood over his own face.

"Wait, just fucking hold on you son of a bitch…"

Will started to laugh, his torso spasmed and he grabbed at it to hold it together. Sam pressed harder into the wound, not caring if he was hurting him, he just needed him to live. Needed him to answer for all the damage he had caused. He wouldn't everything that happened over the last three weeks be for nothing. The image of Andy lying on the kitchen floor flashed before him and he pushed onto the bleeding wound even more.

In the distance he could hear the police approaching, albeit slowly then at the end of the hall when the double doors were kicked open. He turned to look over his shoulder and saw two SWAT officers racing towards them. It wasn't until one of them shouted "GUN!" that Sam turned back in time to see Will holding a gun in his hand and pointed it at Sam. He jumped back and covered her head with both arms as the gun shot rang out around him.

* * *

**A/N**: Sorry! More tomorrow.


	14. Chapter 14

Luke followed behind the last SWAT team members with Traci behind him. They held their guns out, arms locked in a guide position as they cleared the rooms through the factory. Then as they kicked open the double doors into a long hallway one of the SWAT members shouted "GUN!" Luke dropped behind the door frame and pushed Traci behind him. In the distance he could hear the dog barking and all of a sudden everything was running at half speed.

The SWAT guys raced down the hallway at the Sam and Will and when Will lifted the gun up to point at Sam, one of the SWAT guys dropped to his knees and fired his gun. He shot Will in the shoulder and the gun went flying out of his hand. Sam waited for the explosion of pain but instead felt nothing but shock.

The SWAT team continued to advance one of them covered Wills writhing body, kicked the gun he was holding aside and stood over him between him and Sam. Sam seemed unsure for a second what was happening when the SWAT crouched before him.

"Sir? Are you ok?" he asked Sam but Sam was still watching Will as another SWAT guy rolled him over and cuffed him. "Sir? Officer Swarek? Have you been injured?"

"Huh? No. no…I'm fine." Sam scrambled to his feet as Luke and Traci came hurrying down the corridor. The first SWAT guy had called for an ambulance and the second one was guiding Sam away from the cell.

"I got him…" Traci grabbed Sam and held him around his torso as she guided him away from the scene but Sam couldn't help but look back at what he was leaving.

"Call CSI!" Luke ordered as he stepped into the cell where Gareth's body was lying. The dog was cowering in the corner, growling and barking but without intent. Luke crouched down and slowly approached the dog. he held out his hand and made soft kissy noises but the dogs barking became louder. One of the SWAT men pushed Luke aside. Stared at the dog and commanded him to heel. The dog immediately stopped barking an went over to sit at the SWAT man's feet then looked up at him for the next command.

Luke turned around and walked over to Will. The SWAT had propped him up on his knees and he was leaning back against a wall but he was still smiling even though he had a gunshot wound in his upper shoulder. "How are you doing Manning?"

"Pretty good. Pretty fucking good."

"Looks like you've been tasting the merchandise." Luke took a closer look at Will who was clearly tweaking from whatever drugs he had ingested. His pupils were dilated, his lips were dried and cracked and he wasn't feeling any pain from the gunshot wound in his shoulder. "Well Manning?"

Will just laughed. He rolled his head around his shoulders and kept laughing.

"Get him out of here." Luke commanded.

Sam sat into the back of Luke's car and lay down on the seat.

"Sam an ambulance will be here in a moment." Traci sad as she tried to reassure him.

"Just take me home Nash. Just take me home." He was losing consciousness. Traci grabbed her radio to signal Luke but just then he came racing out of the building and hurried over to them. "Sir, the ambulances are on the way but I don't think he can wait."

"Take my car," Luke said as he fished for his keys in his pocket and tossed them over to her. "I'm staying with Manning. I'll meet you at Toronto General."

Traci nodded, turned to push Sam's legs into the back of the car and close the door behind him. She climbed into the driver's seat and tore off through the mass of SWAT vans. Sam muttered in the back seat. He was barely legible but the only word she could make out was "home" he just kept saying it over and over.

But Traci knew better than to let him home. Instead she drove to Toronto General with the lights and sirens blazing. She abandoned the car and raced in to get help with Sam. Soon in a flurry of medical staff he was whisked away on a gurney.

* * *

It was hours later when Luke walked through reception and followed the throng of police to the ward where Sam was waiting. He found him sitting up in bed with a deep scowl in his forehead and Traci sitting by his feet.

"Swarek." Luke approached the bed but Sam barely glanced up. "How are you doing?" Sam shrugged. "Will Manning has been arrested."

"Great."

"He's coming out of his drug fuelled stupor." Luke continued and waited for a reaction from Sam but he was getting nothing "He's talking Sam." This got a reaction. Sam looked up and frowned. "He;s giving names… loads of names."

"Are they worth anything?"

"He's backing them up with dates and case numbers. This is huge."

"How deep?"

"Twelve divisions so far. Five union reps."

"White shirts?"

"Two."

"Who?"

Luke looked over at Traci and shook his head. "Are you in for just the night?" Sam nodded his head. "Come see me when you get out."

Sam nodded again and Luke walked away. Traci stood off the bed and brushed down the front of her uniform.

"Sounds like this case is bigger than we imagined." Sam nodded. "Get some rest Sam."

She leaned in and kissed the top of his head then squeezed his arm and walked away. Sam waited until she was gone then he pushed the blankets off himself grabbed the IV stand and walked out of the room. The hall ways were nearly empty as the nurses must have ushered all the police out once visiting hours were over. Sam pushed his IV ahead of him, half using it as a crutch as he walked through the corridors. He checked the names on the doors as he moved and only paused when he found her.

He pushed the door open. It was dark in the room except for the muted light over her bed. The other bed in the room was empty. Sam shuffled in and pushed his IV stand to the side when he got to her bed. She was lying on her side her back to him and seemed to be sleeping. The wound that ran along her hairline had been cleaned and stitched together with butterfly stitches. The bruise was red and purple and looked like it wasn't finished developing into something more painful looking. He gently brushed her hair aside and let his hand rest on her shoulder. She stirred beneath his touch but instead of pulling away he pulled on her shoulder to roll her onto her back.

When she turned to face him her eyes fluttered open but before she could focus fully he leaned down and kissed her. He cupped her head in his hands and let his lips gently brush against hers. Then before she could reciprocate he pulled away.

"Sam?"

He nodded and gently nudged her so she would push over on the bed then climbed in beside her. He propped himself up on the pillows and stretched an arm over her so she could rest her head on his shoulder and her arms around his torso. He held her close, turned his body so he was half facing her and rested a hand on her hip.

"I got you McNally," he whispered against her hair and he squeezed her a little tighter. He body was trembling and her tears were flowing without her even trying to stop them. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Sam…" she whimpered and tried to pull him closer. "I thought…I thought…"

"Shhhhh." He kissed her forehead, rubbed her back and waited for her to stop crying. When her trembling subsides, her tears dried and her breathing regulated he pulled back to look at her and she looked up to see he had shed tears of his own.

"Oh Sam!"

"I'm ok. I'm fine. Are you ok?" She nodded, not trusting herself to talk.

"What happened?" she said eventually.

"I don't really remember much. I found you in the kitchen then I work up in a cell with Gareth Pollock."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Apart from not feeding me for a few days, no."

"And Gareth?" Sam shook his head. She was quiet for a few minutes and let it all sink in. "I think I'm going to get fired."

"Luke?"

"I messed it all up." She lifted one hand to cover her face. "I shouldn't have come over to the safe house. I should have stayed away."

"Andy," he pulled her hand away from her face. "Don't. Don't turn us, what we shared into something bad, something to feel bad about or something that shouldn't have happened."

"I'm not, I'm just saying-"

"Don't." He pulled her in tighter. "I'm not sorry it happened. I'm not sorry you came round. Whatever happens now, whatever discipline they dole out to either or both of us, we'll take it and move on."

She didn't seem convinced but she was enjoying having him hold her to tight and his reassurance was more than a little comforting. She snuggled in tighter to him and let her eyes fall over. He rested his head against the tops of her and closed his eyes too.

* * *

**A/N:** No, dont worry, this isn't the ending, (though it is a logical ending point) I will have another chapter to tie up all the lose ends and round it off with some classy smut of course!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N**: Sorry for the delay folks, Enjoy this super long (smutty) chapter as a reward for waiting patiently!

* * *

Andy woke up in the hospital bed alone. She vaguely remembered the nurses taking Sam away but the memory was foggy at best. She sat up on her bed and took a sip from the tepid water that was on the locker. Grimacing she placed it back on the locker, then dry washed her face and ran her hands through her hair.

"Good Morning Ms McNally!" A heavy set smiling nurse came in and took her chart from the end of the bed. She flipped through her stats then came over to her bedside and took her temperature and blood pressure. "And how are we feeling this morning?"

"Pretty good. A little tired and my neck is sore."

"I'm not surprised!" The nurse chuckled. "The way you were sharing this bed last night!"

"Oh." Andy blushed as she reached up and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Okay, so all your results are in and you have been stable for 12 hours."

"So I can go home?"

"As soon as the doc signs off then you are free to go."

"What tome will that be?"

"His rounds are in about an hour." The nurse put her chart back and gave her a fresh jug of water. "I'll get everything ready to go so if you want to get showered and dressed the doc can sign you out when he gets here."

"Ok, great! Thanks."

"Just mind that wound while showering. Call me when you are done and I'll double check it."

"Will do!"

As soon as the nurse left Andy hopped out of the bed and gathered a towel and her clothes. She showered as quickly as she could without touching the wound on her head then dressed and went back to her room. By the time she had her shoes on and had gathered all her things the doctor had arrived on his rounds.

"Oh you are up and about already," the doctor said with a chuckle as he picked up her chart and scanned over her stats. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

He came over and checked her eyes with a small light, he asked her to follow his finger and he checked her wound.

"Okay, this all looked good. I'll get the nurse to come in and bandage the wound and then you are free to go." He signed her chart as he spoke then slipped it onto the rack at the bottom of her bed.

"Thanks."

By the time the nurse had cleaned and bandaged her wound Andy was twitching with the need to leave.

"Hold your horses, I'm almost done." The nurse added a one more butterfly stitch then covered the wound with a slim mesh bandage. "Okay, now you can run off to wherever you need to be."

Andy smiled and stood as the nurse put her tool away. "Thanks."

She took the prescription for pain meds and shoved them into her coat then waved at the nurse and hurried off. It didn't take long to find Sam's room but she was surprised to find him dressed and sitting on the bed his legs swinging beneath him. He looked up when she opened the door and smiled. She walked over to him and he pulled her into a bug as she stepped closer between his legs.

"Hey," he muttered against her neck. "I missed you."

"It's only been a few hours."

"Long hours."

Andy chortled and leaned back in his arms to get a look at him. He looked tired, with bags under his eyes and he was a little paler than usual. "Have you seen the doctor this morning?"

"Yeah, he said I could go. I'm just waiting for my meds."

"Pain killers?"

"Worse. Protein shakes and vitamins."

He pulled her in for a kiss but they were interrupted by a nurse walking in and whistling softly. She smiled at them both and Andy stepped out of Sam's reach.

"Okay you two, break it up." The nurse said as she took Sam's chart and wrote down his meds. "I had a hard enough time getting you into bed last night Sammy!"

"Sammy?!" Andy mouthed and smiled when Sam nudged her with his elbow.

"Here are you are. Take these for at ten days, do not skip a day!"

"Yes ma'am." Sam took the package and got off the bed. He grabbed his jacket and held his hand out for Andy. She took it with a shy smile and he clasped her hand tightly against his chest before walking out.

* * *

Luke knocked on Frank's door and pushed the door open. He stepped into the room slowly and took a seat on the opposite side of the table. In his hands he carried a slim file but seemed reluctant to share the information with Frank.

"That's the full list?"

"The full confirmed list." They both looked at the folder with disdain. "RCMP are taking over as of tomorrow."

"Not IA?" Luke shook his head, and immediately Frank knew there were members of the IA task force listed in that folder. "How many?"

"Two."

"They asked me to join their investigation."

"Really? Work with the RCMP?"

"I know." Luke shook his head. "They asked myself and Swarek to join the task force."

"Are you going to join?"

"Yeah." Luke shrugged. "It's an easy decision. This is the biggest investigation in the history of the province."

"And Swarek?"

"He's coming in later today. I mentioned it to him at the hospital but we'll talk about it properly when later." Luke placed the folder onto the table and left his hand resting on it. "Don't read this Frank if you don't have to."

They locked eyes and with the smallest of nods Luke stood up and walked out of the room. Frank let his eyes fall back onto the folder and reached out for it. He took it in his hands and held it in his lap for the longest moment before opening to read it.

Sam dropped his jacket on the back of the chair in her living room and kept walking towards the kitchen. Andy locked the front door and followed only to find him standing by the open fridge guzzling a drink from a carton of OJ.

"Sam! Get a glass!"

"I was thirsty."

"And you couldn't wait 10 seconds to get a glass?" She handed him one from the press.

He smiled at her as he took the glass but still lifted the carton to his lips for another drink.

"What time did you tell Luke you'd meet him at the barn?"

"Noon." He checked his watch. "About 2 hours from now."

"What do you think he's going to say?"

"I've no idea." He put the juice back into the fridge and the clean glass back into the press.

"I think I have an idea what he's going to say to me." She shook her head as she leaned back against the counter beside him. "And I'm pretty sure if going to have to do with my pink slip."

Sam stepped closer and draped an arm over her shoulders. "It won't."

"Of course it will. For all I know Manning followed me to the safe house."

"Andy he was a union rep with connections in nearly all the divisions on all levels. He had access to a list of safe houses and would have been able to find out this one."

"Sam-"

"Andy…" He cut her off, turned her towards him and kissed her. "If you are fired, then we'll deal. If you aren't, then we'll deal." She nodded. "What time is your meeting?"

"Two."

"Well then…" he kissed her neck. "Seems to me that the only thing we need to worry about…" He moved the collar of her tee aside to kiss her exposed shoulder. "Is what we can do with ourselves before we have to leave."

Andy chuckled and draped her arms loosely around him as he kissed her softly. He moved his hands against her back, curved them around her ass and came to her hips and up her waist to couch the warm skin on her belly. Andy squirmed under his ticking and she laughed when he moved his fingers like waves across her midriff.

He kissed her again and this time slipped his tongue passed her lips and she moaned. His hands circled her waist, and gripped her tighter as he deepened the kiss. She responded by leaning into him, pressing her body against his from shoulder to hips and he moaned into her mouth at the sensation.

He bent at the waist and cupped her ass to lift her up and she circled her legs around him expecting him to perch her on the counter but instead he whirled around and walked through the kitchen and into the bedroom. He lowered her slowly onto the bed and came down after her his slips still caressing hers. She writhed and mewled beneath him pressing her hips up to meet his crotch and made him sigh against her.

He slipped one hand beneath her ass to hold her in place, more so to stop her writing in case all this ended with a whimper rather than the bang he was building up to. She opened the buttons on his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders and he leaned back to drop it onto the ground and focused back on her to roll her tee up off her chest. He moved it slowly and kissed all the newly exposed skin softly then pulled it up over her head. She raised her arms over her head but he didn't pull her tee all the way off and instead twisted it and locked her wrists together.

Her breasts were raised and she arched her back and he pressed his face between them. He held her wrists in place with one hand and released her breasts from the constraints of her bra with the other then massaged one while he kissed the other. She moaned softly and moved her hips as she ravished attention on her breasts, switching sides and using his tongue in all the right places.

With one of her legs between his she lifted her hips to press her upper thigh against his crotch making him moan and lose his place for a moment. "Careful now…" he muttered against her neck.

"You're not giving me much to work with here," she said as she wiggled her wrists. But his only response was to grasp her wrist tighter and move his attention lower.

He kissed his way over her midriff, tickling her with his tongue as be progressed over her belly to her hip bones. He pulled on her jeans, opened the fastening and tried to lower them but couldn't do so without both of his hands.

"Quite the dilemma eh!" She muttered beneath her breath and he looked up to her and smiled. He tried again to pull her jeans down with one hands but she was moving her hips to counter his ministrations.

"You're not helping."

"Let me help…" she wiggled her wrists and smiled coyly and he looked at her for a moment then released his hold on her. She tossed the tee from around her wrists and let her hands trail down his chest to the fastening on his jeans.

"I thought you were going to help me get *your* jeans off…" he said with a smile as he kissed her neck.

"In time." She lowered his jeans over his hips and lifted her legs to pull them down further with her feet, leaving his boxers on. Then she sat up and reached behind her back to open her bra and dropped it to the floor. "Better?"

"Much." He reached up to massage her breasts but she pushed him back and rolled him over to sit atop of him. "Except your jeans are still on."

"Let me fix that." She got off him and stood by the side of the bed then turned her back to him and looked over his shoulder with a smile.

He chuckled and interlocked his fingers behind his head to watch her movements. She hooked her thumbs into the waist band of her jeans and panties then swayed her hips from side to side and she slowly lowered her jeans over her hips, passed her ass and dropped them to the floor. She bent at the waist to pick up her jeans but more so to wiggle her ass in his face.

When she turned to look at him his chuckle died as his eyes roamed over her body as she stood before him. Her hips cocked to the left, her hands rested on them and her smile curved her lips invitingly.

"C'mere…" he rolled onto his side and raised his hand out to her and when she took it he pulled her down to lie next to him. He ran his finger through her hair to brush it off her face then leaned forward to kiss her. It was a gentle kiss as his lips moved against hers in soft massaging motions then he opened her lips with his tongue and stroked the inside of her warm, wet mouth.

She matched his motions with her own and moved her hips against him. The flimsy covering of his boxers was no barrier and when her crotch grinded against him he moaned into her mouth making her smile triumphantly. She trailed one hand down his chest, her nails raking his skin to his pelvic bone then slipped it below the rim of his boxers and grasped him.

Sam knew where her hand was going, and was prepared for the sensation of her warm hand around his cock but it still didn't stop him gasping and jerking from her touch. She broke the kiss from his lips and moved her head to kiss his jaw, his neck, his chest, paused as she focused on his nipples for a moment then continued on her journey south. She pulled his boxers off and he kicked them aside then without pausing she lowered her head and took him in one smooth motion.

He gasped and gripped the bed sheets, screwed his eyes shut to block out the sensation for just a moment until he could control the urge to release. And when he could he looked down at her smiling around him, looking back and locking eyes as she lifted her head and dragged her lips achingly slow up his shaft and released him.

"Jesus Andy…" his eyes fluttered closed against the sight of her and she smiled but before she could lower her head again he reached down to stop her. "Wait…"

"Too much?"

"Not enough." He reached down to her and she thought he was going to pull her up to him but instead he took her arm, pulled her to the side, then grasped her hips and turned her 180 degrees so her knees were behind his head and her forearms either side of his hips. "Better."

He grabbed her hips and lowered her crotch to his face and his tongue appeared and ran flat against her as far as he could reach. She moaned and moved her hips against him, mimicking the motion of his tongue, all thoughts dissolved from her brain for a moment as she languished in the sensation of his hot breath on her wet crotch. Then she bowed her head and licked the underside of his cock, making him moan into her. The reverberation of his voice made her clench around his tongue and he smiled.

She moved his cock with one hand so her tongue could reach all parts and when she was satisfied that nothing had been left untouched she circled her lips around the tip and flicked her tongue against it making his hips move involuntarily.

Every time she brought him to the brink he would lose focus, then when he lost focus he would fight to get it back making her lose focus. Wave after wave of pleasure circled them both building to a crescendo neither of them were able to control. Within moments they were battling for supremacy, each trying to outdo the other.

Her head moved up and down, her wet lips around his cock, her hot breath and sucking sensation causing his hips to move with her motions. His tongue switched from flat to pointed and slipped between her folds to caress her nub as his breath and nose moved against her and her hips grinded against him. Their panting was intermittent as they each lost focus and every part of his body was tingling, He knew he was close but wasn't sure she was so he pushed her off him and over onto her back.

She squealed in surprise at the sudden movement but he didn't give her a chance to recover when he leaned over her. Now that they had switched sides he was able to get a better angle. He moved her hips and cupped her ass to lift it to his face as he licked her incessantly. His hands massaged her ass, his tongue and nose moved against her in a fast rhythm and to make she followed him over the brink he hummed in time with his motions.

She tried to move his hips to capture his rhythm with her lips around his cock but he was resistant, only because he knew it would only take a couple of complete strokes to finish him. She lifted her head to circle his cock with her lips and used one and to massage his balls. She moaned around him when he hummed against her and he lost his reserve for a moment and thrust his hips. She grasped his hips and encouraged his movements as he lapped at her core. She dragged her lips from the base of his cock, along his shaft and licked the tip and he moved his hips to help her.

When she started to quiver and clench he let go of his restraint and thrust into her mouth with abandon. With her moaning around him and him humming against her they both lost focus, and fell into the oblivion of release.

Sam struggled to hold himself up after he came but was all too aware of her body beneath him. He rolled over and fell onto his back beside her and reached a hand out to rest on her chest. He enjoyed the feel of her heavy breathing, her chest moving rapidly as she languished in her own pleasure waves.

After a few moments he sat up and leaned back on his hands. She was still breathing heavily but it had slowed as she calmed down. She rolled her head towards him and opened her eyes. He smiled down at her and leaned over to kiss her lips gently.

"I'm gonna take a shower…do you wanna join?" he muttered against her mouth.

"Sam I can't move…I never want to move again, just leave me here."

He chuckled and kissed her again then stood and walked out of the room. After a few minutes she heard the shower running. She forced herself to sit up and looked around the room at the disheveled bed and discarded clothes. She stretched her arms above her head and fell back onto the bed again a smile caressing her lips as she recalled her morning.

When she heard her phone beeping she went into the kitchen to get it. She found the phone on the counter by the fridge and picked it up to read the message, only realising then it was Sam's phone. But she had already seen the message.

She hurried to the bathroom and pulled the shower curtain aside.

"Sam! What the hell is this?" she asked waving the phone at him.

"Changed your mind?" He reached a hand out to pull her into the shower with him but the look on her face told him she wasn't here to shower with him. "What?"

"This." She held the phone out to him.

He turned off the running water and stepped out of the shower but instead of reaching for a towel he took the phone out of her hand. He looked down at the message on the screen and realised then why she was so mad. It was a message form Luke.

*The investigation task force is meeting at 11.30 in HQ on Attwell Drive.*

"Andy…"

"I thought you were finished with the investigation!"

"It's a task force being set up by RCMP. Luke asked me to join for the initial meeting."

"They want you to join the task force?"

"Yeah."

"Sam, that means more UC work right? You'll probably leave 15."

"I don't know Andy. I told Luke I would go and meet them, I didn't promise them anything else." She looked at him with nothing but worry on her face and he reached over to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. "It's one meeting Andy. I have to give them my report anyway."

She nodded but looked away and when she turned to walk out of the room he tugged on her arm. She half turned back to face him.

"I know Sam, you have to do this." He held onto her for a moment more then released his grasp on her and let her go. When he grabbed a towel from the press and dried off he wasn't into the bedroom to find her dressed and brushing her hair. He gathered his clothes and dressed then sat on the end of the bed and looked at her.

"I'm going to meet Luke at RCMP HQ."

"Okay."

"Do you need a lift to 15?"

"No I don't need to be there for a few hours. I'll get the bus later."

"Will you call me when you are done? Maybe we can get something to eat?"

"Okay, sure." She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled but he could see that it didn't reach her eyes. He wondered how they could go from one extreme to the other. From the most intimate level he could share with her to this cold and distance space in such a short amount of time. But rather than press it he left her alone and walked out.

When she heard the front door closing her heart sank. Immediate regret filled her and she grabbed onto it. She ran out of the room and through her flat and caught him just as he was climbing into his truck.

"Sam!" she called out to stop him from starting the engine. He opened the door and got out of his truck as she came running over. She jumped into his outstretched arms and hugged him close. "I'm an idiot," she said. "I'm just worried about you. I just got you back and now…"

"And now nothing. I'm not going anywhere McNally. I promise."

She squeezed him tightly and he reciprocated then when she pulled away she kissed him tenderly.

"You should do what you need to do." She stood away from him and held him at arm's length. "If you need to join this investigation with the RCMP then you should do it."

"Andy it's just a meeting."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to leave without saying that."

"Okay." He smiled and kissed her then climbed into his truck and left.

* * *

Luke was getting out of his car as Sam pulled up. He waited for him to grab his jacket and climb out of his truck and they walked to the front door in silence. At the reception they asked to speak to Officer Holmes and they were immediately brought through to the conference room. Once the door was closed and they were left along, Sam turned to Luke and smiled.

"Is this the time when you now convince me to join this task force?"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't care if you join Sam." Luke sat down and opened the file out in front of himself. He reached into his inside jacket pocket for a pen and already started to take notes, all without looking at Sam who was standing on the other side of the table.

Before Sam could respond, the doors opened and five RCMP officers walked in. Only one was a lady and she wore casual clothing which belied the fact that she held a more senior rank than the rest.

"Thank you for coming out Gentlemen." She sat and gestured for the rest of them to sit too. "This situation is dire." She looked around the room and made eye contact with everyone. "It has infected so far twelve police divisions. I need utter confidence in this case for it to continue untainted. Everyone in this room has been selected for this very reason."

"Excuse me," Sam spoke up. "But I haven't signed on for anything as of yet."

"I understand your reluctance to get involved again Officer Swarek after everything you have been through, but your integrity was a vital part of this case."

"In what capacity will I be needed? I'm pretty sure I can't work UC like that under any division in this city again."

"No, and nor would I ask it of you."

"So?"

"So I would like you to join this task force in an investigative position. You have worked with these men, you know how they think and from what I've seen your ability to read these people and situations is second to none."

Sam glanced over at Luke who was still taking notes and Sam could tell he wasn't happy about this. Sam looked around the room at the other RCMP officers.

"Thanks for the offer but I think I'm going to decline."

"Oh?"

"I've done my part for this investigation. I'm happy to complete my reports and comply with any questions you have but other than that I'm not interested."

"Give us the room." Holmes commanded and after a beat the rest of the officers left including Luke.

"You can't convince me to join an investigation that is about to decimate the Toronto Police force."

"Decimate? I think you mean purge."

"Right yeah, something is rotten in the state of Ontario."

"This is a promotion."

"A promotion I don't want."

"I understand you have been through a lot lately Officer-"

"It's not about what I've been through. It's what I missed. What I've sacrificed."

"The job is a sacrifice."

"Then maybe that's my problem. But first I can is walk away from this investigation."

"And then from the job?"

Sam shrugged. "I dunno."

Holmes nodded slowly then reached her hand out to him. He took it and shook it and stood. "I'll ask the OIC to debrief you once your reports have been filed."

"Thank you."

Sam walked out of the door and through the building to the front door. As he stood on the steps and closed his jacket the door behind him opened and even before he turned he knew it was Luke standing there.

"You're done?"

"Yeah." Sam looked over at Luke and smiled.

"With everything?"

"I dunno."

"Swarek you can't throw this opportunity away."

"End game huh?" Sam smiled again. "I'm not interested." He started to walk away and just as Luke was about to call out to him all the fight went out of him and he let him go. He watched Sam cross the car park and get into his truck then drive off.

* * *

"This was a direct disobeying of orders McNally."

"Yes sir."

Frank sat back in his desk chair and folded his arms across his chest.

"I've spoken with the Chief inspector and because of the nature of the investigation with the RCMP it seems that Manning had a full list of all safe houses being used in the city."

"So he didn't follow me?"

"No. CCTV footage shows him arriving at the house before you did." Andy was visibly relieved. Her shoulders slumped and she took a shaky breath and released it with a sigh. "But that doesn't change the fact that you compromised an investigation. You put yourself and several other officers in danger."

Andy nodded. She knew he was right and she was bracing herself for the worst news.

"But right now we need all hands on deck. This investigation is about to blow the police force apart. Inspector Byrne has agreed to two weeks unpaid suspension, then when you come back you will be on desk duty for another two weeks. Then you will ride with a training officer for 3 months. This suspension is effective immediately."

Her initial reaction was to argue that it was too much punishment but she knew better. She nodded and when Frank waved her off she left. She went out through the barn, and hailed a cab on the main street. She jumped in and called out Sam's address then pulled her phone out of her pocket. He picked it up on the first ring.

"Hey, are you home?"

"Yes, just in."

"Okay, I'm finished here. I'm on my way over."

"Great. See you soon."

* * *

Sam was lying on the couch when the doorbell rang. He jumped up and opened the door and when she stepped in he hugged her close and kissed her.

"How as your meeting?" They both spoke at the same time and they both said the same thing.

He closed the door behind her and took her hand to lead her out into the back garden. They sat in lounge chairs side by side but he held her hand in his against his chest.

"You go first." She insisted.

"We met with the RCMP who are running the investigation. They asked me to join."

"UC role?"

"No. Investigation."

"Detective? Sam that's great!" She sat up and turned to him with a wide smile.

"I turned it down."

"What? Why?"

"I'm not interested." He sat up too and faced her. "I've missed so much, I've given so much stuff up and now I want to turn back and take something for myself."

"Are you sure? Sam this would be an amazing opportunity."

"I know, but right now, after everything, I don't want it."

"What do you want?"

"You." Andy blushed and looked away but he tugged on her hand and lifted her head with a finger under her chin. "C'mere…" He sat back on his lounger chair and pulled her over to him. She straddled him and balanced herself with two hands on his chest. "This. This is what I want. And I don't want to wait any more, I don't want to put it on hold while I work UC or work on an investigation."

"Sam…"

"I know, this is sudden and scary. But after…after spending all that time. In that cage, not sure if I was going to make it out. I just want to make sure I don't sit back and watch things happen around me. I want to take part."

Andy smiled. She leaned down and kissed him gently.

"So, tell me about your meeting."

She rolled her eyes skywards and recanted everything she had been told by Frank. She tried not to show her anger and frustrations and instead she accepted the outcome.

"So what you're telling me is you have a couple of weeks off?"

"Sam this isn't a vacation!" She swatted his chest. "It's unpaid leave. It's going to be on my record."

"It's leave that you need to take, and I have some time to take as well." He sat up and wrapped his arms around her. "How about we take some time together."

"You mean go away?"

"No, god no…nowhere too far from the bedroom." She chuckled as he kissed her neck. "Staycation."

This made Andy laugh. She wiggled her hips against his and he moaned.

"Two week huh?"

"Yeah." His lips trailed hot tracks around her neck and jaw to that soft spot behind her ear lobe.

"What can we do for two weeks that we haven't done already?"

He stopped kissing her abruptly and leaned back to look at her. "Was that a challenge?" Andy laughed then looked him in the eye and shrugged. "Oh McNally…so naive."

She gripped his shoulders and pushed him back into the lounge chair and grinded her hips against his. "Really Sam? You think you can teach me a few things?"

"To be honest I'm not sure who is gonna be tutoring who here, but either way, it's gonna be good."

She pulled her tee up off her head and stepped off him long enough to shed her jeans but she left her heels on and Sam nearly keeled over at the sight of her suspender belt and thigh high tights. She wasn't wearing panties and somehow, he noticed, she managed to keep her heels on when she removed her jeans. She straddled him again and he had little or no control over the involuntary jerk of his hips at the warm pressure she placed there.

"So…you were saying?"

"Huh?" he tore his eyes away from her gyrating hips and looked up to her confused about what she had just said. "Like I said…either way it's going to be good."

She leaned back and put her hands on his legs to keep her balance as she moved against him. She arched her back and thrust her breasts upwards. He reached out to grab her breasts and loved the exquisite torture of her movements against him.

"Wait…I need…" he moved his hands to his jeans and fumbled with the fastening. She didn't help him at all and only grinded against him more. "Andy…wait…" He tried to stop her but she ignored his ministrations. He grabbed her hips, and pulled her against him and she sat up and circled her waist with his arms to hold her still. "You're killing me." Andy's lips curved in a sly smile.

Her hands rested on his shoulders and she tracked her nails down his chest to his jeans here she undid the fastening herself. But rather than pull them down completely she just pulled them down enough to release his erection. Then without preamble she mounted him and slid down in one smooth motion that he matched with a moan.

She didn't hold still to give him time to adjust and instead she resumed her position and started an achingly slow rhythm. He massaged her breasts, cupped her ass and tried to speed her up. When he started to recognise his own release pending he tried to ensure she would fall with him. He trailed his hands down from her breasts and over her pelvic bone so his thumbs could reach into her core and massage the nub there gently. When she responded he sped it up and she matched it with the rhythm of her hips.

Sam started to lose control of his hips, his fingers, his hands and he knew he was close. The wave of pleasure built up from his toes to his centre and exploded all round him and she kept riding him. He felt she was close so he continued to massage her clit until her panting became gasps and her hips started to move faster but with less rhythm or control. He felt her quiver around him as she called out with the orgasm. She fell forward against him and he loved the feeling of her lying atop of him and held her close.

"This is why I don't want to join that task force."

"What?" Andy chuckled. "Sex?"

"No. Well yeah but no. I mean this, time with you, time together." He brushed her hair away from her face to get a clearer look at her. "I gave up too much of it already. I don't want to give up any more."

Andy smiled. She closed the few inches between their faces and kissed him.

"I'll be here when the investigation is over. I'm not going anywhere Sam."

"I know. And neither am I."

He kissed her again then pulled her into a hug and held her against him.

"So…was that all you got?" he whispered against her ear.

"Not even close."

"Good."

**The End.**

* * *

**A/N: **And there you have it. Its finished. I know there are a few mistakes (like Sam not wearing his uniform in the cell) and I meant the dog to have a better part but this was a good journey to take them on.

Thanks for reading and as always, especially thanks for reviewing.


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